AU Story Without A Suitable Title
by Crusnik Cain
Summary: HxK AU Kurama is thrown in jail, only to met his former lover, Hiei! Will stubborn love grow once more, or will they rip eachother to shreds?
1. Default Chapter

Konnichi-wa! Yup, another lovely, HieixKurama story by yours truly! Oh, and don't worry, I'll have at least one of my other stories updated tomorrow!

Yeah.

Here's Terry Harrison with the disclaimer:

Terry: She doesn't own anything... Of true value... OK, maybe she does... But not this... Definetly not this, 'cuz YYH actually has a good storyline...

Why must all of disclaimer people be so mean?

Terry: You're the one who created us...

Reason For Story: I have always wanted to do a HieixKurama AU story. I always thought the "High School" AU stories were so awesome. I wanted to do one... But then I realized, Chibology already is a AU school fic... so after many hours of thought and thinking process, I came up with this! Enjoy!

Chapter One... Isn't Jail A Lovely Place To Meet?

Of all the rotten luck... I had to be thrown in jail because of my slipping gracefulness... Sigh, they just saw my face matched the flier, and arrested me... Crappy ass day this is becoming...

"So, kitsune," the guards mocked as they led Kurama to his cell, "Intelligence slipping? You knew for a fact we had all of your guises on file, yet you came to town looking like the most notorious one... That's laughable," the guards cackled.

Kurama ignored them. Yes, it had been stupid to come to _that_ particular town in his _human_ guise... But, what's passed is passed..., "Excuse me, do you have to hold my arms so tighly?"

"Ooooh, to _tight_ for the frail human?" the guards tightened their hold on either of the fox's arm, making the red head wince. He glared at them, and they laughed even more. One guard kicked a door open, and they threw the fox in, his body thumping against the cruelly solid concrete, "Have fun!" the screeched, then slammed the door shut.

Kurama lay, face down on the floor._ Damn you, Hiei. This all your fault..._ Kurama hit his head on the floor. _No! It you own damn fault for letting him affect you like this...!_ The fox sighed as his reasonable side won.

His vision focused on a small red dot on the floor in front of him, that was growing by the second. He sat up, "Oh,no! I'm bleeding!" He pressed a hand against the gash on his forehead and cursed the gaurds for handling him so rudely. He brought his hand away and looked at the blood on his palm. _It's like that day... The day Hiei betrayed me..._

"Heh, heh, heh," a low cackle was magnified by the jail cell's echoing property. Kurama looked up when he realized he must have a "bunk-mate". (don't drop the soap!... Oh, I'm sorry, i'd to put that...)

His emerald gaze widened, "Hiei..."

Said demon was sitting before him, one arm chained to the wall. The fox took time to realize it was the dragon-clad one..., "So, you've stooped to my level, have you? You're as pathetic as usual..."

Kurama growled, and shook himself out of his stupor, "Shut up, you lying bastard!"

ENDHERENOW

Dun, dun, DUN!

Yeah, short chapter, sorry...


	2. Hidden Feelings

Whew... This is the fastest I've ever updated... ever...

Note: Yusuke is in his demon form (the brown-haired one) in this story.

Chapter Two...The Past Revealed

Hiei cocked an eyebrow, "Lying bastard? That's not a very fox-like greeting," he mocked with a smirk. Kurama glared, and turned his back to the hiyoukai, taking care of his wound. He could feel the demon's gaze on his back, like a dagger.

"So why are you in here?" he asked after a long moment. Hiei didn't answer right away, but when he did, Kurama could barely make it out.

"I should be asking _you_ that question...," Hiei whispered.

"Just answer me...!" Kurama turned his head slightly, to see Hiei's face. It was blank, as usual. Finally, Hiei sighed, and answered dejectedly, "It was another of Yusuke's tests...," he growled when he heard Kurama laugh.

"Why do you always fall for his tricks, hm?" the fox asked as he faced the youkai completly. Hiei's eyebrow twitched, and the faintest of pinks stained his otherwise pale cheeks, "Kisama...," he hissed.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kurama said sarcastically, "It's not a trick, just a _test_, right?" he became serious, "So why _do_ you?"

Hiei looked away, "That's none of your business."

Kurama sighed and looked at around. He cringed at the filth he saw all over the cell. He heard the hiyoukai laugh at that, "What's so funny?"

Hiei didn't answer, "So why were you thrown in here?" the demon asked. Kurama just looked at him. Hiei rolled his eyes, then said, "Can you break this chain they've got on me?" Kurama raised a crimson eyebrow, "What?" he asked.

"Get me out of this thing! Are you deaf?" Hiei was irritated at the stupid question.

"Why can't you?"

"You truly have become an idiot. The people here aren't _that_ stupid. You think they would _let_ me be able to free myself?"

Kurama blinked, then turned away as he blushed, "Why should I?"

"As you know, Yusuke always comes and gets me. But that's becoming quite embarrassing. So, I'm gonna get out before he comes," Hiei answered truthfully.

"Why should I help you?" Kurama looked at him.

"You can escape, too... Unless, you _want_ to stay here in this grime. I can handle it either way," Hiei smirked as he saw Kurama twitch. Then the fox reluctantly came forward, and looked at the shackle around Hiei's arm. He pulled out a small plant from his hair and used it to pick the lock, "Kurama...," Hiei whispered right next to the fox's ear. And Hiei had that low, vibrating voice, especially when whispering. Kurama desperatly tried to keep his blush in check, "What?" he asked, pretenting to be irritated that Hiei interrupted his work.

"You're still in your human form. Why is that? Still too weak from when that bounty hunter shot you?" Kurama glared at the demon. Hiei just laughed, "So it's true, eh? You're still at the level of a baka human? And I thought you were 'the great Youko Kurama'..."

"You know, you really shouldn't insult someone trying to help you," Kurama hissed, but he went back to his work either way. After a faint clicking sound was heard, Hiei's arm came free. Kurama turned to the demon as he leaned close to him, "Hi...ei?"

"I'm starting to miss your true form...," their faces were barely and inch apart. Hiei laughed then pulled away, inspecting his arm. Then he stood, up stretching his muscles. Kurama stared at this. Then, after mentally slapping himself, he realized something.

"Hiei?" he asked, getting up as well. The hiyoukai "Hn'ed", meaning "What?", "You seem... rather stiff... Just exactly how long have you been here?" he smirked to himself when he saw Hiei flinch.

"Wh-Why does that matter? Just drop it. I'm getting out of here," he stood before the wall that had the outside world on the other side. He took a familiar stance and blew the wall apart with his flames. The guards came running, but the two were already gone.

Elsewhere, Yusuke felt a familiar youki coming closer, acompanied by..., "What's this? He really came back?" the hanyou turned as Hiei came into sight, "Yo! Took you long enough, ne?"

"Shut up," Hiei hissed. He walked passed his leader, and stomped to his part of their compound.

Yusuke laughed, then turned to Kurama, "Haven't seen you in a long time. Never though I'd get to either."

Kurama laughed spitefully, "Five years isn't a long time to demons..."

"True...," Yusuke narrowed his eyes, "So, how did you two meet up again? Was it a love tryst?" he took a half-step backwards at the glare he was given.

"No it wasn't," the youko whispered venemously, "And why would it be?"

"Geez, nevermind... Kurama, what's wrong with you? In all the years I've known you, you've never come that close to blowing up at me, at anybody," Kurama made an indignant noise and walked passed his leader, "I take it, you're coming back to stay?"

"Of course," Kurama said. Yusuke smiled, that was the Kurama he knew...

"Even if you're near Hiei?"

"...Yes."

"Good. Oh, and just to let you know, we have new people, so don't freak out when you see them, okay?"

"Am I the type to 'freak out', as you say?" Yusuke shook his head. They walked toward their compound together, "Yusuke, you should really stop using human terms."

"Oh, you're one to talk, fox-boy."

ENDINGISHERESOSTOP

Yay, another chapter, and so soon, too.

Reviews, please!


	3. Meeting New People

Another update!

Chika, chika, dunna, dunna, DUHHHH!

Question: I'm not sure if the rating should go up or not... Because I'm planning on more... R-rated material... Maybe I should... But I'm not sure if I'm gonna add that element to the story... ARGH! I need help!

Chapter Three...Meeting New People

Kurama smiled his first true smile in years. Yusuke hadn't changed; that was reassuring... _"You're a youko-san, correct?" _

_"H...hai..." _

_"Good to know..."_

The fox wavered a bit as he gazed upon their complex. It was half in the ground, half above, as he remembered it. His plants still prospered about it... Which surprised Kurama; he would have thought Hiei would have burned them all, but they seem to be taken care of lovingly...

"Staring at the plants?" Yusuke asked, laughing. Kurama blinked an looked at the hanyou... _"How does a half-breed become so strong!" _

_"I am NOT a half-breed! Don't count my mother in this!"_

"I'm just... surprised... is all...," the fox answered.

"Heh, I'd bet you wouldn't believe me if I said who took care of them...," Yusuke murmured to himself.

"Huh?"

"Uh, er, nothing! Let's just...," his statement was cut off by a sudden Reiki popping out of nowhere, "Kuso, he's here already?"

"...He...?" Kurama was baffled. The only way full-blooded humans were allowed in this realm was illegal... Why does that have "Yusuke" written all over it...?

"I'll be back after I handle this...," Yusuke ran off toward the complex, leaving Kurama to look around at his leisure. The fox strode along, eventually coming to his plants he had cruely left behind when he left in a rush five years ago...

_"What are you saying!"_

_"I never wanna see your ugly human face again!"_

_"But...!"_

_"Get out! GET OUT!"_

The fox's eye darkened at that memory. His plants curled up at the sudden change of emotion. Then, a youki came up behind him. It was weak... yet very strong at the same time. Kurama turned around, feeling strangly unthreatened by this, "Ano... Am I... intruding?" said a soft voice coming from the female youkai before him. She was short, but had long, light green hair tied at the base of her neck. Here eyes were red, and oddly familiar...

"Um... No, of course not...," the fox answered.

"You are... Kurama... Am I correct? I've heard many stories of you from Yusuke-san and Hiei-san..."

_Oh? Can't imagine what Hiei has said to you..._, "And you would be..?"

"Oh!" she blushed and bowed slightly, "My name is Yukina... I live here... Ever since Yusuke agreed to let me stay..."

"He took you in? That's rather generous of him..."

"Yes... He said he wanted to aid in my search for my brother," she paused and decided to elaborate, "We were seperated from birth, you see..."

"Ah...," was all Kurama said. _Where the hell have I seen her before?_ "You are a koorime, correct?"

"Yes."

"You're truly brave to venture from there... But, you said your _brother_? It is to my understanding that all koorime are female."

"We are... My brother turned up in... And odd turn of events...," she was blushing from Kurama's compliment. She pauses once more, as though wondering if she should continue or not. She decided yes, "Everyone seems to be angry today. First Hiei-san stormed off to his room... Then Yusuke-san rushed in a huff to speak to Kazuma-san..."

"Kazuma? Why's a human here?"

"Yusuke is letting him travel here illegally so he can get instant on any updates in Ningenkai," answered a rougher, but also female voice. Both Kurama and Yukina look to see who it is.

"Mukuro-san!" Yukina exclaimed, "I haven't seen you in a while...," Kurama could see Yukina held a great respect for this "Mukuro". She had short orange hair and blue eyes.. Well, eye. She had a mechanical device covering her right side of her face.

"Yes, I've been of for several reasons," she turned her attention to Kurama, "So you're his lover?"

"_Ex_-lover, if you must call me something," Kurama said covering his displeasure. Mukuro smiled so slightly, that someone of Kurama's skills could only see it.

"Oh, I see... So that's why he's brooding all the time..."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Kurama narrowed his eyes.

"Nothing at all... I'm just talking to myself," Yukina didn't catch the mock-sarcasm in her voice. She said her goodbyes and strode off. Yukina knew Kurama wasn't pleased for some reason, so she tried to get his mind off it.

"_Would_ you happen to know why Hiei-san was so mad? He's always so quiet and polite, he doesn't seem the type...," Kurma couldn't hold in a laugh, "What's so funny?"

"I... I'm sorry... it's just... Hiei, polite? Are you sure we're talking about the same person?" Yukina's eyes widened at this.

"I think so... Maybe Hiei-san has changed over the years you were seperated...," Yukina suggested. Kurama didn't answer, but thought that not possible... Not from what he saw in that jail cell..., "I owe him so much...," Yukina said after a long while.

"Hm?"

"When I first left the glaicier, I got into trouble, but Hiei-san appeared and rescued me... I owe him my life for that...,' Kurama got the oddest of sensations in his chest. Jealousy? No, that's impossible...

Yukina eventually decided it time to go when the light started fading from the sky. Kurama was left with an unsettled feeling in his stomach. Then, he felt a familiar sensation washed over him. He looked into a nearby tree, but it was gone... He walked into the complex.

He walked toward Yusuke, who was coming into the hall from a room, along with the presumed "Kazuma", "Yo! Been outside awhile!" Yusuke chirped. "Kazuma" shivered when he felt the amount of youki coming from whom he had thought a human...

"You're... Kazuma? As Yukina put it," Kurama asked. Immidiatly, the human's features glazed over. He was obviously in love with the girl, from what Kurama could tell.

"I warned you, don't be drooling over her when Hiei could be nearby," Yusuke laughed. Kurama felt that sensation again...

"Why? He doesn't have some demon dib on her, does he?" the human sounded nervous. Kurama's feeling grew.

"Relax, Kuwabara! I've told you, it's not like that!" Yusuke smiled as he saw Kurama's face. Kuwabara relaxed, "You should get going before the patrol catches your reiki signature," Yusuke advised. Kuwabara agreed and rushed off. Yusuke turned to Kurama, "You know, you should just admit it."

"Admit what?" the fox asked sternly. He already knew.

Yusuke sighed, "It's obvious you still in lo-" Kurama brushed passed him and continued on his way. Yusuke sighed again and headed the other direction, not wanting to face the kitsune when he's frustrated.

Kurama spread vines apart to get to his room. He was thankful Yusuke had had enough faith he'd come back to not give it away... He was so tired. And not sure why, either... Today had been the most interesting since long ago... The fox layed down in the vine-bed he used to sleep in. He closed his eyes, and planned to sleep, but twitched as he heard someone come into the room, "Get out, Hiei."

"...Why?" the demon was teasing. He stood barely in front of the vines seperating the fox's room from the complex.

"I'm tired. We can argue in the morning," Kurama answered in monotone. He could have sworn he heard Hiei sigh... But why would he...? A minute or so goes by, and Kurama wasn't sure if the hiyoukai was still there or not. His answer came quickly when he heard Hiei walking towards his bed, "What do you want?" he said. Hiei's steps paused, as if apprehensive. Kurama opened his eyes and sat up. Hiei was right next to the bed, "What do you want?" he asked again, more assertively. Hiei just gazed at him with a blank face. Kurama blinked when Hiei's eye twiched.

"I'm not sure myself...," the demon answered.

"What?" Kurama asked once more in monotone.

"Probably something your not willing to hear...," that intrigued the fox. Hiei closed his eyes and stood there for several minutes. Then, rather abruptly, he sat down next to Kurama.

"What're you doing! Who gave you permission to come on my bed?" Kurama hissed.

Hiei leaned close to the fox, "I never needed permission to come on your bed before...," he smirked as Kurama blushed, realizing the double meaning, "That was before...," Kurama tied to ignore Hiei's irritating smile.

"Why're you blushing?"

"...I'm not."

"I think you are..."

Kurama growled in frustration, "Why're you even in here! Get out!"

"That's odd... That's what I said _that_ day...," Hiei joked.

"I hate you! Get out before I force you out!" he put a hand in his hair, and Hiei jumped up. He hadn't planned on the fox _actually_ attacking. They stared at eachother for quite some time... then...

"Well, have a good rest, fox," Hiei strode out. Kurama didn't like his tone when he said that... He made a strained noise, as he flopped his head back onto the bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.

CHICKOOSQUIRRELENDHERE

Please try to answer my question at the top... but if you're stumped like me, reviewing is nice!


	4. The Past

Hello again! Yes, I'm updating this story once again...!

(because I keep procrastinating on all my others! meep...)

Anyway...

Chapter Four...The Past

The fox regained consiousness after his long nap, but dreaded the fact he would eventually have to open his eyes. Just like he used to when he was a cub here... He opened his eyes very slightly and smiled in a vacous way.

* * *

"A silver fox?"

"How can this be?"

"Foxes only turn silver when they reach the age of very high intelligence! They are never born that way!"

"He's a prodigy; he must be!"

That's all I heard as I grew up. As I came to realize what they were saying, I laughed at them, but they never knew. He remembered he once thought of the solution that maybe he was albino, but that was soon remedied by the fact his eyes were gold.

And he grew tired of their acting towards him as if a god. Their respectfulness. Their politeness... Their niceness. He yearned for battle; a trait inherited from his late father and mother alike.

So... he ran away. As he traveled abaout by himself, he came across many banners stating his safe return for a large sum of money. He had had many close calls being caught, so he decided he had to learn how to transform himself. He gained a human form, but that made people even more suspicious. So, he usually went around in his natural fox form, on all fours.

He eventually came across Kuronue, a bat demon who aided him in gaining the reputation of a thief. After he died, the fox traveled alone and sad for many years, until he came across yet another demon sharing his interest in thievry, Yomi. The worked together, eventually gaining status and even a whole band of followers. But Yomi was hot-blooded and he eventually went against his leader's orders, so the fox sent a hitman out on him. He never did find out if he died or not...

Many years past, and all of the rest of his followers were killed in battles. Kurama traveled a while more, with no real goal. On this journey he met Yusuke, ancestor and son of the great Raizen. They became fast friends, especially after learning he was of half-blood, something strictly forbidden. The fox had a fettish for those with interesting lives...

And then he met Hiei. One of Yusuke's old helpers came back from his bath in the river holding what was thought to be an old rag. It was something quite different. A baby. A small baby, less than a day old, was wrapped up in those rags. I suggested we just discard the thing, but then he looked closer. And to his and mostly my own surprise, that baby was holding a hirueseki on a string. And not just any hirueseki, the kind that is only given to daughters by their mothers. It was a precious jewel only found on the glaicier of the Koorime. But why did a baby have it? (a baby _boy_, as we later found out)

Yusuke had a weakness in good mysteries, so he kept the boy, and raised him. We named him after his abilitly to run fast like a shadow, Hiei. And Hiei grew up into a very strong demon. He told us of why he had things he normaly wouldn't. He was half-koorime, half hiyoukai. An interesting combination, indeed. And being as I was, I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

We became best friends, despite his inablitity to hold conversation without grunting or killing the other half of that discussion. And our bond grew, deeper than even I had expected, and we became lovers. We were happy, I have to admit that. And it was I, and only I, who was able to make Hiei come out of his secluded shell, if only a little bit.

And during a a small excursion, I found myself running for my life in my fox form. Running from a bounty hunter, who wanted me dead for the prize money. I evaded him, but not without injury. I was shot, and my enery levels went dramaticly down, down to the point I could have been mistaked for a human. I was forced to change into my human form until I got my power back. I was worried, mostly for Hiei's opinion of this. But it was surprisingly pleasing. Hiei was understanding and caring even. It made me suspicoius at first, but I thought it best to let it be. Our relationship went on as normal, more shock for me. I never would have thought he wouldn't mind sharing intimacy with a creature even remotely resembling a human. But as he, himself once said:

"Of course I don't mind. In fact, I think it's in my genes. My mother did the same thing even when it was strictly forbidden. I just find it ironic, is all..."

I took those words to heart.

And then, _that_ day happened... My power hadn't gone back up as I had hoped. I came back home one day, and Hiei betrayed me. He yelled at me and even hit me. It had always been a distant thought that maybe he would eventually grow tired of my weakness. I just grew arrogant enough to belive it would never happen. So, I left. Left for five years in misery and hate. And yet I still didn't change back...

* * *

Kurama sat up in his vine bed, staring at his lap. _And then I got thrown in jail, and met Hiei once more..._ He laughed to himself. He remembered distantly his vow to kill the bastard if he ever met him again. He had thought that reunion would fuel his hate enough for him to kille the fire child, but...

He was met with other feelings instead. Kurama closed his eyes. _Kurama, you're pathetic..._ He slumped back down onto the bed, with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling made of greenery. His thoughts went to the first girl he met yesterday. He was met with that odd feeling again. _She said Hiei treats her nice... So, when I'm got, he plays, huh? But... There's something about her I now I've seen before..._ He thought hard on the girls looks. His thoughts eventually led him to her red eyes... Red eyes...

_"I remember the elder who ordered me out mentioning I had a sister..."_

Kurama sat up straight and covered his mouth with his hand. _That's it! It has to be! She's almost the same height as Hiei... They even have the same shape... Why didn't I see this before?_ Soon, Kurama felt himself blushing over the fact he had thought Hiei was fond of Yukina.

He later got out of bed and walked outside to see Yusuke and Mukuro training in front of the compound, "Hey, where're _you_ going?" Yusuke asked as they paused their fight.

"Out to buy some new clothes. This rag is all I have left," Kurama answered truthfully, smiling.

"That's just like you...," Yusuke mumbled to himself.

"Do you even have money to buy these clothes?" Mukuro asked.

Kurama looked to the side and smirked, "No... But who says I have to have money when _starting _out on a journey, hm?" he waved and ran off.

"He really is the legendary youko...," Mukuro acknowledged with a sweatdrop. She continued her fight with the hanyou.

Kurama walked along the path leading out to the nearest market humming a song he had learning when he was a child. He puased when he felt a familiar presense nearby, "Hiei again..."

"You don't sound very pleased that I'm here," the hiyoukai's voice said mockingly. Kurama looked up into the tree the voice came from, and Hiei jumped out of it, and stepped toward the fox, until only three feet seperated them.

"What do want?" the fox wasn't happy.

Hiei stared at him for a while, then said, "I wanna go with you."

"Wha-?"

BADPLACETOSTOP

Yay, hope you enjoyed this!


	5. Shopping And Some Drinks

Hi again. I'm updating this story once again! But never fear! I will update my other stories... eventually... sooner or later...somewhere along the road... in the future... but not today... around the corner... up a ways...

Terry: Just. Shut. Up.

Fine! Nyua! (sticks tongue out)

Anyway... Why are you reading this? You should be on the next line, reading the name of the chapter! You're still reading this aren't you? You're not? Well, you didn't have to say it so mean!

Chapter Five...Shopping And Some Drinks

"What do you want?" the fox wasn't happy.

Hiei stared at him for a while, then said, "I wanna go with you."

"Wha-?" Kurama stumbled back a half-step, completly thrown by what just came out of Hiei's mouth. _Come with me! Why the hell does he want to come with me! There's a catch. There has to be..._

"What's _that_ look for?" Hiei said, raising an eyebrow annoyed.

"What it's for? _What it's for!_ Why would _you_ of all people want to go shopping of all things with me!" Kurama could see it in the hiyoukai's eyes. He was teasing him.

"Who says I can't?" Hiei said, looking at him out of the corner of his eye, snearing at him. This only managed to piss the fox of even more. _Perfect..._, "So, can I?" he says in his usual "I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck-either-way" tone.

Kurama stood up straight, "Why do you?" he asks in the tone he would give any other person _but_ Hiei. The demon looks at him, as if not sure what to say, or wondering if it was somehow a trick question.

Finally, he shrugged a shoulder, and grunted, "No reason really."

The fox visibly twitched. He didn't like it when people talked to him as though he was weaker than them... Okay, maybe he was, but still. He looked at the ground to his left and smirked, deciding to mess with the short one this time, "You can only go if you have a reason."

Hiei stared at him as though the fox grew another head, "Why?"

"Why should I tell you?" Kurama smiled in a way Hiei had always found annoying, "It's my reasoning, just like your wanting to go with me is yours," his smile broadened as he saw Hiei realized he couldn't argue with that.

"Fine," Hiei sighed. He looked up at the fox, "I want to go with you because you might get caught and be sent to jail again if I don't," he said this seriously, but that look was lost when he saw the fox's reaction. Kurama's eyes widened in shock; that had obviously been the very opposite of what he expected as an answer.

"Wh... what?" the redhead was very confused.

"You heard me. I gave you a reason, so let's go," Hiei walked past the fox and further down the pathway. He stopped and looked back, and saw that Kurama had not moved, "What're you waiting for, a written invitation?" Kurama finally turned around, slowly, and took a few steps toward Hiei. He looked like he wanted to say something, but not say it at the same time, "What?" Kurama shook his head and walked at a normal pace, passing Hiei, and the two walked together. _Is he... actually concerned for my safety? Why? That's not possible, not after what he's done to me... Why...? _

"Why?" Kurama finally said out loud. Hiei looked at him from the side.

"Why what?"

"Why do you... Why do you care if I get caught again?" he heard the steps next to him stop, so he stopped too and looked back at Hiei. The demon didn't look at him, and was thinking quietly to himself. He looked up a while later.

"I tell you after your done getting new clothes," Kurama twitched again, "And why is that?" that fox asked, "That way... you won't take so long shopping this time," Hiei answered matter-of-factly, "That's it?" the fox growled, "Yup, so are we going or not?" Kurama sighed and they continued on their way.

* * *

_He still walked in the same way... His speech is still the same, intelligent, big word crap... But something seems to have changed in these past five years... He seems... More quiet, more closed off, more reserved... More like me... wonderful..._ Hiei thought these things as he watched Kurama go about searching for clothes to buy. The hiyoukai sat on an abandoned booth top in the outdoor marketplace in that city. He tapped his boot heel impatiently on the side of the booth. _Even with bribery, he takes centuries to shop... Hn..._ He still didn't know where the fox got that money from... 

Hiei soon got bored and decided to try to figure out what else was different about the fox. His tapping stopped as he heard Kurama politly laugh at something the clerk said. _He still laughs the same way, too..._ But, it was different in way as well. It was more human. _And more feminine..._ (In reference to the japanese version. I hate dubs.) He stared as Kurama stepped away, finished. _Finally...!_ Kurama spotted Hiei's resting stop, and started walking towards him, non-chalantly. Hiei soon found himself watching just _exactly_ how the fox walked. (that is to say, staring at his hips)

"Find something interesting?" Kurama said casually as he stood a few feet away from the demon. This knocked Hiei out of his trance, "No," he answered in his usual cold tone. He hopped off the booth and started walking away.

"Where're you going?" Kurama asked. Hiei irritably turned around, and growled, "Where do think? Back to the complex, of course," Kurama laughed in his throat, making Hiei even more irrate, "Now, now," the fox started. _He's cooking something._ Hiei thought. _I can practically smell it_, "You still have to answer my earlier question, remember?"

Hiei's shoulders slumped as he came close to doing something as comical as sweatdropping, "You're still hung up on that?"

"Hung up?" Kurama said, faking insult in his voice, "I just want you to keep up with your side of the deal. I shop in a shorter time, and you answer my question. It's really quite simple, Hiei."

Hiei rolled his eyes, "_You're_ the one who didn't keep up their side of the deal, fox. You still took an unecessary amount of time shopping for what? Three articles of clothes?"

"Well, sorry for liking colors, Mister Black Fettish. Now come on, we're not going back to the complex. We're going to have a couple drinks, okay?"

"What?" Hiei raised an eyebrow at this.

"You heard me," Kurama answered, smiling.

* * *

Kurama sat at a table in a bar as he waited for Hiei to get the drinks (he lost in a quick game of janken (rock-paper-scissors)). He laughed as he could see Hiei still trying to figure out why he had proposed coming here. Truth be known, Kurama really did just want a drink, as he hadn't in the last four years.

"My, my, what's a little human doin' here?"

Kurama looked to his left to see three burly youkai smirking and laughing stupidly at him, "Hey, doesn't 'e look like that guy on the wanted signs down the street?" _Uh-oh..._

"Oh, yeah... 'e does, doesn't 'e?" the middle of the three leans close to the fox to get a better look, "'e's a pretty one for sure... Say, how's 'bout this?" the youkai put his hand on Kurama's shoulder, "We don't turn you in, in exchange for one night... if you catch my drift...," he said, spreading his putrid breath over Kurama's face.

"I think not," Kurama lifted his arm and pulled the demon's hand off his shoulder, "I've had many more partners that were both much smarter and better looking than all three of you combined."

"WHAT! Grr... 'e's askin' for it...," the other two stepped closer menacingly.

Chink!

Kurama jumped slightly as two glasses were slammed down on the table to his right. He looked to see Hiei was the one holding them. The hiyoukai stared acidly at the other three, "I suggest you leave _now_," Hiei started icily, "Unless you _want_ to see what your insides would look like on the outside," the three glared, but backed off as Hiei gave them his own glare that would have scared even Raizen-sama himself if he were still alive. They scattered. Hiei sat down next to Kurama, taking a sip of his own drink. He looked to see the fox staring at him, "What?"

BWAHAHAIMEVILARENTI

Yes, another awful place to end. But I promise to update on the weekend.

(I WILL keep this promise, or my name isn't Phillip!... Which it isn't!)


	6. Crushes And Drunkenness

Hm... Was it only me who noticed I ended the last two chapters with the same word/question?

(crickets)

O...kay. Yeah, I notice odd stuff like that... ANYWAY... yup, uh-huh...

I'M SORRY! I'M SO SO SORRY!

(see bio for excuse for not updating sooner as promised)

But, I'm back! (from outer space!... yeah, just like _that_ song... you know the one...)

Chapter Six...Crushes And Drunkenness

"..._What?_" Hiei asked again, glaring at Kurama, who still sat across from him dumbfounded at what just happened. He quickly snapped out of it when he realized that was the second time within 24-hours he had looked as such.

"Why did you do that?" Kurama said, raising his glass to his lips.

"Hn?" Hiei said while drinking his beverage. Kurama tried not to show his annoyance, but it came out in a strained tone in his voice, "Just now. Why did you do that?" Hiei set his drink down, and laced his fingers together to rest his head on them, "You mean with the guys hitting on you, right?" _You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?_ Kurama thought, "_Yes_."

Hiei sat back in his chair, "Thought it wasn't worth my time."

"...What?"

"I knew if those guys tried to attack you, you would've done something with your plants to stop 'em... But that would have cost you ki, and you'd be weak enough to be taken advantage of by even a D-class..."

_True enough... But did you have to put it like that...?_ "Uh-_huh_, and _what_ does that have to do with _your_ time?"

Hiei closed his eyes, "Because... I'd have to rescue you if anything happened...," he saw Kurama going to ask something, "_Because_," he continued, "If you got injured while in my company, Yusuke would a hair up his ass about it."

Kurama blinked at this, then turned away with a hand over his mouth. Hiei growled, "What the hell's so funny!" This made the fox laugh louder, so that other people in the bar looked over at them, though most just yelled at him for aggravating their hangover. Hiei banged a fist on the table in frustration. Kurama finally got control of himself and stopped laughing loudly. He turned to Hiei, and tried to stop giggling, but that wasn't going so well. Hiei's eye twitched, and Kurama put a hand over his face to calm himself down. He pulled the hand down so that it was only covering his mouth, "You really _do_ have a crush on Yusuke."

Hiei froze as he stared at Kurama, trying to digest what the fox was proposing. He choked on his words slightly, then said, "I... I don't know what you're talking about," he said defiantly.

"Yes you do," Kurama laughed, putting his hands in his lap, "And I've always suspected it, too. The way you only talk bad about him when he's not around. The way you blush ever so slightly when he teases you..."

"I _do not_ blush, especially when he does that," Hiei hissed.

"They way you always manage to bring him up in a conversation about a different subject entirely..."

"Uh...," Hiei opened his mouth slightly, as if to say something, but thought better of it.

"You know... It's not as if it doesn't make sense... He _is_ the one after all that let you live in a semi normal home... Truth be known, I was shocked when you showed romantic interest in me. I had always assumed you'd go after him instead..."

"Shut up," Hiei rested an elbow on the table, and put his forehead in his palm. Kurama almost felt sorry for bringing it up at the confused look on his face... Almost, "You don't know what you're talking about..."

"Really?" the fox said in monotone.

"_Yes_, really," Hiei spat, "This... _crush_ that you speak of doesn't exist," the demon sat up straight, "What you're talking about and what's real are completly opposite..."

"Hm... Care to explain that to me?"

"I... I'm not... I don't... Look it's not love, or whatever... It's just...," Hiei seemed very uncomfortable with this subject, "Just that I... you know..."

"Have abnormally great respect for him?" Kurama finished for him. Hiei mumbled something reluctantly in agreement. Kurama took a long drink of his beverage to break the moment's akwardness. After, he stared at his glass for a long while, remembering the first year after he had left Yusuke's home. He had drunk almost everyday, in attempt to numb the pain he felt. He realized now how stupid he had been. He remembered there were days when he'd wake up not knowing where he was or what he'd done that previous night...

"You're doing it again."

Kurama blinked at the sound of Hiei's voice, "Huh?"

"You're thinking too much. Drowning yourself in whatever that is you're thinking..."

"I guess..."

"What're you thinking that's so sad?"

Kurama looked up at Hiei, "How do you know I was thinking about a sad subject?" Hiei leaned back, suddenly looking very tired... and old. _It's trully amazing how he can seem so childish and even look like a child after falling asleep... and yet look so old at times like this... I mean... he has to be less than 100..._ Kurama had known Hiei for the demon's entire life... But never bothered to count those years.

"It's something you said Yomi said about you..."

"Yomi?"

"Yeah... That old partner of yours you sent a hitman out on... You said that he said you looked most beautiful in your sorrow..."

By the time Kurama had realized what Hiei had just said, the demon proposed a drinking contest between the two of them, "I wanna see how much liquor you can hold in your human form."

Kurama smiled, and accepted.

Only later would he have a tough decision deciding if that was a horrible mistake or not...

* * *

_Warm..._ That was Kurama's first thought as he regained consciousness. He assumed it was just the bed, so he clung to what he thought were sheets. Suddenly, his head started pounding very painfully, so he sat up quickly and put a hand to his head. _Guess I drank a little too much..._ He cracked his eyes open and the first thing he saw was that he was naked, and the second was the fact his clothes were strewn about the floor. And so were... Hiei's...? _Oh, god..._ He felt a movement at his side, and hesitanly look over, "Kuh...," lying next to him in the bed, also naked (and asleep), was Hiei, "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

CLIFFYMUHAHAHAHAHA

I'm just killing you, aren't I?


	7. Halfbreed

Aloha! As some may have noticed, my name's now ame-tennyo AKA Hyena Frog... And, yes, there IS a reasonable reason for this... Would anyone like to know?

(crickets) (cough) (cough)

Ahaha... Erm, yes, well... Let's just say I have weird dreams...

(crickets)

...Riiight...

And I'm sorry for the continuing cliff hangers... This story has just too many good places for cliff hangers... I just can't help myself! I NEED REHAB FOR CLIFF HANGERS!

...Eh, heh, heh...

ON TO CHAPPIE!

Chapter Seven...Half-breed

Kurama's scream filled the morning air, but Yusuke didn't bother waking up, for he was snoring too loud to hear it. Mukuro, on the other hand, was wide awake and outside along with Yukina, "Oh, my," Yukina said, "Do you thing something's the matter?"

"No, Kurama has just woken up is all," Mukuro answered.

"But why would he scream because Hiei's in his bed? Isn't it a good thing?"

_You know more about the situation then you let on, don't you?_ Mukuro thought as she starred at Yukina's innocent face.

Meanwhile, in the scene of the... incident. Hiei's eyes snap open as he glares at Kurama for waking him up with that shriek. He had a hangover, for Christ's sake! "Why the fuck are you yelling!" he says as he sits up. Kurama stares at him, while the youkai accesses the situation. _Why am I in in the fox's bed...? More importantly, why are we NAKED in his bed?_ Hiei blinks as he comes to a conclusion, "Sssh... We really got hammered, didn't we?"

"How can you crack jokes at a time like this?" Kurama hissed. He instantly regretted it as his head protested the movement he made to wrap his hands around Hiei's neck.

"Easy," Hiei rubs his head slightly, "...Do you remember anything?"

"...No..."

"Good. Neither do I."

"Wh... What do mean "Good"?"

Hiei looks at the redhead seriously, "If we don't remember it, then it never really happened, now did it? Besides, I see no proof we actually did do anything like that..."

"Oh, yeah," Kurama started sarcastlicly, "We just decided to pass out in my bed, but were thoughtful enough to get our clothes off so we wouldn't take up so much room," this made Hiei laugh ever so slightly, "Thinking logically, as always...," he says, "But, unfortunetly, logic doesn't work for a drunk man. For all we know, what you suggested is true..."

Kurama acknowledged this as a possibility. They sat there for several seconds, until Hiei broke the stillness by sliding up to Kurama, so that their faces were mere inches apart, "So, if we _did_ have sex, who do think was the uke?"

"H-Hiei! I can't believe you'd even ask me that!" Kurama's face was turning red very fast. Hiei smirked and grabbed the lock of hair in front of Kurama's ear, "Just as I thought. That was enough to get your face the same color as your hair," Kurama glared and smacked Hiei's hand away, "Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd kindly get dressed and leave my room."

"Why don't _you_ get dressed first? Unless you'd _like_ to watch me dress..."

"Get dressed or I'm kicking you out naked," Kurama hissed.

* * *

_"He's a prodigy! He must be!" This is all I heard growing up... but that was about to change..._

_"Heh, heh! Look, it's the "prodigy"!" Some punk from my clan... He probably thinks I think of him as a lower being just cause I'm silver and he's red... But that's not it, I think of him as a lower being because he's an idiot..._

_"What do you want?"_

_"Ooooh! Am I draining your precious tiiiime?"_

_"No, but you're killing my brain cells with your idiocy," he growls and grabs me by the collar, "What'd you say!" I smirk, "Too stupid to understand?"_

_"LEX!" I hear his mother's voice, "Let go of Kurama before you get persecuted for touching him!" Lex drops me to the ground, spits to my side and leaves with his mother. _

_And, I find myself alone again..._

_"I'm leaving this damned place..."_

* * *

Yusuke kept looking between the two of them, noticing how Kurama seemed rather tense this morning, and not trying very hard to hide his obvious displeasure. Hiei, on the other hand, seemed rather relaxed and indifferent, "What? Is it Opposite Day, or somethin'?" he mumbled to himself. They were outside, waiting for Kuwabara's arrival with new from Nigenkai. He seemed to be coming more often ever since Yukina came to live here three years ago... And Hiei was always on edge with the "buffoon" around. But not today, apparantly...

"YUKINAAAA-SAAAAAAAAN!"

Yusuke saw both Hiei and Kurama wince at the sound of his voice. _Why do they look like that's irritating their hangover?_ (sigh... Yusuke's clueless...), "I'll kill him one day... I swear it...," the hanyou heard this mutttered from undoubtedly Hiei. _Ah, things are sort of back to normal..._

"Kazuma-san, he-," before Yukina could finish her sentence, her hands were clasped together between the ningen's.

"Yukina-san," Kuwabara started, "I hope you've been well?"

"Of course... It's only been a day or so..."

"A_hem_," Yusuke coughed, "I _hate_ to break this up but, ya know..."

"Ah, yes! THE NEWS!" Kuwabara lets go of Yukina and pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket, "You have to read this... Though, I think it'd be better if you were alone..."

"Alone...?" Yusuke was slightly annerved by his friend's seriousness. But despite that, he walked back inside the complex, and Kuwabara followed.

"What do you suppose it says?" Yukina asked. Hiei didn't say anything, and Kurama could have sworn he saw him back up ever so slightly, "I'm not sure... But it must be important for Kuwabara to come all the way here to tell Yusuke about it..."

"Hn. That idiot's purpose for coming here was Yukina, not the message... It always has been...," Hiei added.

"You say that as if it were a bad thing, Hiei-san...," Yukina said. Hiei blinked, "Uhn... Whatever, I'm leaving," and with that, Hiei dissapears. _Hiei... are you that uncomfortable around your own sister...?_

* * *

"WHAAAAAAT!"

"Told you you'd wanna be alone," Kuwabara sighs. Yusuke stares at the paper the ningen had handed him.

"They passed it... They actually passed it as a law... The HUMANS did, no less!"

"I know..."

And written before Yusuke was a copy of the official document saying that all children born of taboo after this date will be killed alongside their parents..., "The humans passed this... THOSE DAMNED HYPOCRITES! They're the ones who protested the law for the taboo in the first place!"

"I know..."

"And to think... My mom and I could be dead if Reikai hadn't dissagreed on killing ALL children of taboo..."

"I... know..."

"Kuwabara...," Yusuke was surprised at the sudden lament in his friend's voice, "Oh...," he realized it, now, "That means... You can never..."

"I _know_, Urameshi," Kuwabara's voice was strained. He could never have any full-commitment relationship with Yukina... Or any at all soon, if the humans had their way once more...

"This is so... stupid..."

"I know."

And soon the news spread throughout Makai, out raging some, and welcomed by most, "Good. That'll keep that damnable human blood out of our children... Now we just wait for the half-breeds we have now to die off..."

"Heh, heh... Why wait, when we can kill 'em our selves?"

WHOONOCLIFFY

That wasn't a cliffy, was it? I've done so many, I can't tell the difference anymore...

Oh, well...

Hmmm... There doesn't seem to be much HxK here yet, does it? That will be fixed next chapter! Muhahaha! Oh, the HxKness there will be! MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Preview: Hunters after Yusuke's head, Kuwabara's misery, Mukuro's plans and... GASP! Yaoi!

Muhaha, see ya next time!

Here! I made a timeline for peoples to read and under stand what happened when! And also to keep me in track...

Five years and three months ago: Youko Kurama shot by bounty hunter, and is forced to assume his human disguise until he is fully healed.

Five years ago: Hiei goes crazy and tells Kurama to leave, so he does. (won't give away all details! to be revealed in later chapters!)

For a year after that: Kurama becomes a heavy drinker, but after a year, stops.

During that year: Yusuke makes (illegal) arrangements for Kuwabara to continuosly cross over the borders.

The next year: Yukina comes to live with Yusuke and Hiei.

Six months later: Mukuro appears and stays with Yusuke and Yukina and Hiei.

The next year: Hiei starts to travel by himself more often, dispite Yusuke's wishes.

And in recent times: Hiei gets arrested. Kurama gets arrested. Both are jailed (ironically) in the same cell.

And now: Well, you read the chapter!


	8. Blue Skies

Prepare yourself for a seriously serious chapter... All though... No matter HOW much I try to stave away from comedy, it nips at the edge off reason, and ends up SOMEWHERE in my stories... Oh, well, whatcha gonna do?

Chapter Eight...Blue Skies

The koorime obaba's voice. A crying face. The sensation of falling_..., "Gomen ne..."_

_"You killed my son!"_

Hiei's eyes snapped open as he gasps aloud. He is sitting in a tree, nearby where he had left Yukina and Kurama a while ago, "Guess I fell asleep...," he looks around and sees that his sister and the fox are both gone from their original spot. He notices the lengthening of the shadows of the complex, and wonders how long he had been asleep.

"Stupid fucking ningens...!"

Hiei looks back tp see Yusuke hurrying off somewhere in a rage. He could sense Kuwabara's reiki nearby... But he wasn't near Yukina's youki... Odd... Just what exactly transpired during his nap? He "hn"s and leaps away.

Elsewhere, Kurama sits next to a river that was about two miles from Yusuke's place. The river Hiei was found in... Kurama sighed and dipped his bare-foot into the river, breaking it's smooth surface. He remembered coming here many times before. It was a sanctuary to him, for some reason. It had an odd feeling to it, peacefulness, something he wasn't very accustomed to.

He already knew what Kuwabara had shown Yusuke. He had heard news of that law threatening to get passed while he was traveling by himself. He knew it was that by how Kuwabara acted. It was subtle, but he noticed it.

Suddenly, Kurama let out a soft laugh. It even amazed himself how he could read the emotions of someone he'd never even had a conversation with. He frowned, and dipped his other foot into the water. Everytime he came to this river, he was greeted with memories, ones he was pleased to remember, and ones... that hurt. Like a dull knife turning and twisting within a wound. What he remembered today was... Hiei... Hiei, Hiei, Hiei...

_Why do I keep thinking about him!_ It was true. Everytime he tried to shut the hiyoukai out, he came back, brighter and clearer than ever before. Usually he would be answered by his instincts, but they told him nothing now.

Something brushes against Kurama foot, and he leans forward to see. It was part of a broken plant that was probably growing above the water's surface. Kurama smiled without his notice as he recognized what kind of plant it was. Similiar to the human's "cacti" in appearance, but more close to a snake in defensive mechanisms. It's spikes injected vemon into those who accidently touched them.

_"Ow...," it was said soflty, as if it didn't want to be heard. But the fox heard it anyway, due to the sensitive hearing of his furry ears. He looked behind him, to see "that boy" who they found floating in a river a few years back. How he'd grown..._

_"Something wrong?"_

_"No," the boy snapped. Though it wasn't yet, Kurama could tell he was going to have a surprisingly deep voice, completly out of proportion to his body. The fox sighed, and walked over to the boy to see over his shoulder. He had a small trickle of blood coming from his finger._

_"I told you to handle that plant with care, and you've gone and pricked yourself..."_

_The boy growled and turned around, glaring at the much taller demon, "I DID handle it with care! It moved it's spike by itself!"_

_Kurama sighed, and kenlt down, closer to the boy's level, "That plant doesn't do that...," he held the boy's bleeding hand in his, but it was quickly pulled away._

_"What the hell are you doing!"_

_"Helping you," the fox answered blandly._

_"I don't need your help!"_

_"I don't care if you need it or not, I'm helping you," he answered agrresivly. He heard the boy make a small noise in reaspon. How loudly did I say that...?_

_"Why would you wanna help me?" the boy's voice had dropped to a whisper, making it difficult for even Kurama to hear him. He let his small hand be held by the longer, narrower pale ones of Kurama._

_"Why do you ask?" Kurama asked while working on the wound. The boy didn't answer._

_"You're...," the boy started a while later as Kurama was finishing, "You're Youko Kurama, right? You're infamous... Why're you here, of all places?"_

_"You're too young to understand," Kurama said simply. The boy growled at that, "It's true... Do you know how long I've lived? What I've seen? What I've been through? No. You don't. You have only been in the world for, what? Four years? That's nothing compared to me..."_

_"So?" the boy snapped, "Do you know know what I'VE seen? What I'VE been through! No!"_

_Kurama stared sadly at the small boy's young, angry face. No, he didn't..., "Do you like your name?"_

_"What?" the boy was taken aback by the sudden question, "What do you mean?"_

_"Your name, the one you remember your people calling you..."_

_"They're not my people..."_

_"Imiko... Forbidden Child... You can't honestly be satisfied with that name, can you?" the boy shadowed his eyes a bit, and realized the fox was still holding his hand. He quickly wrenched it away._

_"It doesn't matter what my name means. It's my title. I can't change that."_

_Kurama felt sorry for this boy. He had his childhood naivete taken from him just hours after his birth, "I can give you a new title... If you want to, that is."_

_"Huh?"_

_"You know my name is that of a mountain in Ningenkai's Japan?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"You know why that is?"_

_"...No," Kurama found it funny how the boy tried to hide his interest._

_"I've lived when the border seperating the worlds didn't exsist. I was such a terror even then that the humans named a mountain after me..."_

_"What're you getting at?"_

_"You run fast. I've seen it when Yusuke trains you. Almost like a flying shadow..."_

_"Hiei?"_

_"Yes. That's the name of another mountain in Japan... Would you like to make it yours? That would be a much more suited, this "Hiei", rather than being known as the forbidden one, yes?"_

_"...Yes..."_

_"Good, then that's what I'm calling you from now on..."_

_"...Fine, whatever floats your boat..."_

In present times, Kurama sighed sadly and rested back on the grass, his feet still in the water. The dead plant he held was harmless. He wasn't afraid to admit it. He missed those days. Back when he saw Hiei grow up. Get stronger. Truelly live up to his new name.

"It doesn't matter what my name means. It's my title. I can't change that."

So serious, he was as a child... And yet, he had a sweet side, too. He always wanted to help, though he acted as though he didn't covering it up with rude comments... He was like that until the day he (Kurama) had left five years ago.

"So, if we really did have sex, who do you think was the uke?"

Kurama blushed and growled slightly. _And look at him now! A disgusting pervert!_

Elsewhere, Yusuke started to slow his fast walking, as his anger ebbed, "I should kill the idiots who agreed to passing that...," he smiled, "Bet mom and Keiko are havin' fun dealing with them..." _Keiko..._

"Heeheehee..."

"I don't know why I'm bothering but, who's there?" Yusuke asked, turning around. There stood four demons, obviously not there to chat. _B-class... Impressive... Not_, "What da ya want?"

"To kill you, of course," one youkai answered, "In this region, you are the only true hanyou worth our time to kill."

"I see... So you're doing the humans a favor by killing the half-breeds off?"

"Kisama! Die!" they jumped at Yusuke at once, but the hanyou just smirked.

* * *

"Kazuma-san?"

Kuwabara was startled at bit, which was sad, given how soflty the words were spoken. He looked up from where he sat on the grass outside the complex, to see Yukina, "Yukina-san..."

"Daijobuka? Both you and Yusuke-san seem to most on edge today... Kurama-san and Hiei-san seems that way too, come to think of it... and I haven't seen Mukuro-san at all today..."

"Ah, uh, no... I'm fine... I suppose...," the ningen blushed as Yukina sat down next to him, "Yukina-san...?" she sat with her legs out to her side, her hands in her lap. She stared at those pale hands.

"Are the humans seeking revenge?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"I know that, even though before my time, the youkai were most cruel to ningens... That's why Reikai put the barrier up between the worlds... I'm asking you, if you think that your kind are passing these dreadful laws to get back at us?" she never looked up as she said this.

_So... you know about the law, huh?_ "I guess... Us humans are stupid enough to do that..."

Yukina smiled a little, but she still didn't look up, "What... would Yusuke-san be considered? A human or a demon?"

"Uh... Well, I've always thought of him a youkai, even when he was a kid living in Ningenkai... but I suppose he'd be both...," Kuwabara answered truthfully. Yukina knodded, acknowledging this. She looked up at the sky. It was purple and red, and far away, lighting could be seen, meaning a storm was coming soon. She had always wondered, ever since Kuwabara's first visit to this place... Was there really a blue sky in the human realm? One that could be clear as far as the eye could see?"

"You say your sky is light blue? Such a wonderful color. And white clouds? That would be a change from the dark gray ones here..."

"Well, sometimes the clouds are gray... But that's when it's gonna rain..."

Yukina finally looked at the ningen, making him blush even more, if possible, "Kazuma-san?"

"Ah, yes?"

"I feel ominous times aproaching here... But would you promise to me, that you'll find some way... To let me see the blue sky?"

"...Of course..."

"Thank you."

"Gwahahahaha...," laughed a hissing voice behind them. Kuwabara stood up and faced the youkai standing there, "Such a touching speech... But I can't allow this filthy human to suck up any more of our air. Sorry, little girl."

"How dare you address Yukina-san as such!" Kuwabara formed his rei-ken and charged at the demon.

"Stop! Kazuma-san!" Yukina cried.

* * *

Kurama lay lazily back on the grass, his feet still emersed in the water. Another group of the youkai were sneaking up on him, bi-headed in the fact they were about to get their own hanyou. This one wasn't in any of the papers either...

One youkai thrust it's claws downward, but somehow mud got into his eyes, and he staggered backward. Kurama had kicked some of the soil under the water in his direction. The fox jumped up onto his hands from his spot, and leaped over the youkai, and faster than they could turn around, Kurama spun around once, and kicked them all into the river. As they tried to get out of the water, the tree above them's roots tied themselves around them. They were crushed within seconds. Kurama sighed, sad that he couldn't finish his nap.

"You've got more power than you let on," laughed a familiar voice.

"Are you following me?" Kurama asked as he looked to see Hiei, sword drawn, standing nearby with that annoying smirk on his face.

"No. _You_ just keep going to the same places I do," he huffed. He walked a step closer to the battle seen, "They're everywhere. I felt Yusuke's youki go off a few minutes ago. Meaning..."

"They plan to kill all of the hanyou...," Kurama finished. Hiei knodded.

"And, apparently, they think you're one, too," Hiei laughed.

"That isn't a laughing matter, Hiei."

"Oh, no?"

They stared at eachother for a bit, until, "AAAAHHH!" Hiei whipped around, "Yukina... Oh, no, she must have been near the idiot!" he charged off before Kurama could say anything, but the fox decided to follow.

The youkai who had attacked Kuwabara now was pulling Yukina's head back by the hair. Kuwabara couldn't retaliate, "Little girl," the demon hissed into her ear with a wicked smile, "Why do you hang around this filth when you can be with a proper youkai like myself?" he smirked even wider, "You are very beautiful, you know," he licked Yukina's cheek.

"KISAMA!" yelled Kuwabara.

"Heheh, what're you gonna do about it?" his smirk dissapeared as he felt the hand holding the girl's hair starting to freeze. He looks and sees ice forming up his arm. He quickly lets go of Yukina as much as he could with the absence of the ability to move his arm, "You... WRETCH!" he paused, and in that second, his face was cut cleanly in half. Yukina ran to Kuwabara (but mostly to get away from the now dead body). He blushed and made sure she was alright.

"Hn," Hiei stood behind the dead body, his sword bloody, "Wasn't even worth my time."

"Hiei-san...," Yukina whispered.

"Oi, oi, oi!" yelled Yusuke as he ran around to meet the rest of the group.

"Took you long enough," Kuwabara sniffed.

"Shut up, I had my own troubles. These guys are after _me_," Yusuke explained. Hiei smirked and pointed to Kurama behind him, "And apparently, they're after him as well," Yusuke gaped, "Really? Why!"

"'cuz... He's is sorta a hanyou," Kuwabara answered.

"Oh, yeah... Well, sucks fer you don't it?" Yusuke said rather insensitivly. Kurama just sweatdropped.

Meanwhile, another group of the youkai sensed Mukuro's ki near them, but couldn't see where she was, "Where the hell is that bitch?"

"Why're we killing everyone again? I thought we came just for the two hanyou," said another youkai, only to be bonked on the head by a third one.

"Because, moron! That way they won't be able to get stronger and take their revenge out on us!"

"...Oh...," they stared at eachother for awhile, until-

"What a strategic plan," a cool voice said. They youkai whirled around in all directions, but couldn't find where it came from, "But I'm afraid we're strong enough to kill you now," a blast of crimson-colored ki struck them, and they were incinerated. Mukuro jumped from a branch above, "That's why it's best to look up first."

* * *

"Shit... How many of these guys are there!" Yusuke yelled as more youkai sprung towards them. The hanyou and the rest all prepared for the fight.

"Stop!"

"Huh? Who said that!" Kuwabara asked. Mukuro walked toward them with a serious expression, "Why should we stop, ma'am?" Kuwabara said with obvious fear in his voice. Hiei rolled his eyes, "He's afraid of her..."

"Do you really not see why?" Mukuro asked in a matter-of-fact way. Yusuke looked the youkai up and down, "Uh... no."

"I see...," Kurama said, "These aren't youkai at all..."

"What?" Kuwabara asked, "How's that possible? They got youkai and everything!"

"They're dolls, in a sense," Hiei spoke, "They may be destroyed, but after a certain amount of time, they regenirate themselves. I've had a run in with these types before," he finished, leaving Kurama thinking, _When?_

"Correct," Mukuro said.

"So what the hell do we do?" Yuske obviously was having trouble keeping his anger in check. He normally wouldn't even bother trying to keep it down, but lately... His demon blood had been doing strange things to him in his anger...

"We split up," Mukuro answered.

"Huh? What good'll that do?"

"These creatures aren't very smart. They're looking for one target, or one group, all together."

"So if we split up, they'll get confused and wonder off aimlessly," Kurama finished, "Forcing their puppeteer's to come look for them. Then we can attack _them_."

"Damn, how do you know all the crap?" Yusuke whined.

"Wait!" Kuwabara yelped, "Do we split up entirely? That would leave Yukina by herself!" Hiei twitched at this. Mukuro looked at Yukina, who had been silent the whole time, "Yukina-chan... I may not have known you for very long, but I do know your origin. Your race is very sadistic and cruel. I think, even though you choose not to show it, you can fend for yourself."

"Of course...," Yukina said quietly.

"Are you sure?" Kuwabara continued.

"Yes... It's only for a little while, right?"

"Right. I'll finish this for all of us... But mostly for you, my love!" he blushed. Hiei rolled his eyes once more, "Baka...," Kurama smiled a bit.

"Alright, this has been dragging on for way too long. Let's go!" Yusuke declared, and the group took off in different directions. The "dolls" looked around with dumb expressions, then shrugged at eachother and walked away from the group in random directions of their own.

MOOMEOWBARKCROKE

Yeah, I know I said HieixKuramaness would be this chapter, but I'll cut it off here! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

You can wait another couple days right?

Readers: glare

Good, I thought so.

Also, people be gettin' hurt next chapter! Scratches, scratches, everywhere! A booboo here, a booboo there! (my little "hurty hurty" song)

So stay tuned for my next update, y'all! (not a Texan)


	9. Waterfall

...For those of you wondering... there is no Shota-con (AdultxChild) content in this story. Trust me, Hiei was well... capable... when he started with Kurama... Eh, hee, hee, hee... Guess I didn't clear that very well, huh? Woopies... (okay, maybe just a LITTLE shota-con... but only like a kiss or somethin'...)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, its charaters, or its plots in any way, shape, or form... Though I do own Saiko, Saiko's bodygaurd, Lex, Ensho-sama, and all of the youkai dolls... so there.

Chapter Nine...Waterfall

One could not guess what was happening between the trees near Yusuke's place if they were merely on-lookers.

"REI-GAAAAAAN!"

Well, maybe you could.

A blast of blue energy flew through the tree branches, as youkai dolls were blown to bits. Yusuke relaxed his arm, and sighed tiredly. He had been doing this for over an hour. No matter where he went, no matter how many dolls he killed, they still found him in large numbers. They weren't hard to fight, mind you, but shooting reiki blasts repeatedly over a long amount of time will exaust anyone's enegry.

The hanyou whipped around to punch three more dolls that snuck up on him, "Man... I'm getting weaker an' weaker... Wait... What if this was the youkai's intention in the first place!"

"Hm...," laughed a small voice near Yusuke. He looked into the branches to see a small child youkai come out of them, "Seems you've figured us out. Oh, well. I'll just have to kill you know. You're weak enough."

"Who're you!" the hanyou stepped forward.

The child paused for a while, then said, "Saiko."

"Psycho? I'll belive that...," Yusuke laughed.

The child just smiled calmly, "Your hair's quite the mess, Mr. Urameshi. That's your mother's last name correct? Must be, since demons don't have last names. We don't like to be tied down to title given by parents."

"I am not "Mr. Urameshi", never say that again."

"Why? What's wrong... Mr. Urameshi?"

Yusuke charged at the child, but a giant arm flew out of nowhere a smacked him right in the face, causing him to be thrown backwards. He looks up from the ground tho see a much larger youkai standing in a protective stance near Saiko, "The... hell?"

"Oh? Meet my personal bodyguard. He's really quite nice, a little shy though..."

"SHUTUP!" Yusuke got up again. He was enraged. He didn't have time to listen to this child. He had to kill them both quickly and get to his friends. He could feel their energy failing...

"Angry, are we? You're more of a child than I."

Yusuke growled, as his ki flared to heights unknown. His eyes grew catlike, his long brown hair turned white, mazoku tribal marks became more vibrant on his body. Saiko blinked at the unexpected change, "Heh... what fun..."

* * *

Kurama let out a small cry as he very ungracefully fell over his own feet. He had blood and dirt on his face and arms, and a major stab wound in his stomach. He had defeated all the dolls after him. In fact, they had mysteriously disappeared after Yusuke's energy flared and few minutes ago...

"Kuso...," he hissed to himself as his stomach wound started to bleed again. He sat up and placed a hand over his wound in a feeble attempt to reconnect the skin. He crawled back a bit and leaned against a tree trunk, "Man... I'm screwed...," he whispered. Then, he felt a youki nearby. He tried to stand up in case it was a doll, but instead Hiei fell out of a tree a few yards away, "Hiei...?"

But the hiyoukai apparently didn't hear him. Hiei stood up and faced the tree he fell out of. A youkai doll jumped at him, and he unsheathed his sword as quick as lightning. He managed to cut the doll's arm off, but it still attacked. Kurama could tell Hiei was tired too, by his choppy movements. Kurama tried to stand up, but the pain paralyzed him. The doll kicked Hiei hard in the stomch, and the demon fell over, coughing up blood. He growled when the doll laughed, and thrust his body upwards, causing the doll to fly into the tree. Hiei stood up and slashed off its head. He nearly fell over, but somehow kept standing depite his injuries.

"Hiei," Kurama said louder. For some reason, he couldn't yell. Hiei, free of distractions, heard him this time. He looked in the fox's direction, and seemed very surprised to see Kurama there, no less looking very weak. He ran over to Kurama as fast as his injury would allow, "Kurama, what happened?" he asked as he kneeled next to him. Kurama was more than surprised at the concern in his voice.

"It's just... a cut," he said. His voice cracked from the pain.

"A cut? A _cut_?" Hiei growled, "How can say that! Your stomach's practically split in two!"

"It's nothing to be worried about..."

"Shut up! You're always like this! Even when I was a kid! You lie about your injuries, even when you're on the brink of death! It... It makes me sick...," Hiei looked down, probably because of the pain.

"I'll survive! I swear, I'm not gonna die like this..."

"I don't care," Hiei looks up, "I don't like it when you're hurt, 'cuz it makes me feel even worse!"

"...Huh?"

"Don't go thinking I don't care if you live or die! I do! I may hate you, but I don't want you to die!" Kurama sat there, wide eyed, at Hiei, both of them bloody and bruised and dirty.

"Hiei... I-mmfgh!" his words were cut off as Hiei pressed his lips against his own. He felt Hiei licking his lips, and his tongue invading his mouth. And in his state, the fox couldn't push him away. He soon felt an odd, warm feeling in his mouth, and soon Hiei pulled away. _He put his youki into my body..._, "Hiei?" said youkai's eyes rolled back, and he promtly passed out on Kurama, "Hiei! HIEI!" he pulls the smaller man into his lap, and sees on his right arm the black dragon fading into view, meaning, "He used the kokuryu-ha a while ago... He pushed the the last of his concious energy into me? Why...?"

Kurama shook his head. This wasn't the time for questions. He had to get himself, and more importantly Hiei to a safe place, where the youkai dolls wouldn't find them easily. He stood up, and after many minutes of wincing and grimacing, he managed to put Hiei over his shoulder, and headed off in search of a safe place...

* * *

"A... ahh... I... I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!" Saiko pleaded after he was witness to his bodygaurd's muder. Toushin Yusuke stared cruelly down at the sobbing boy, "And... Why should I, exactly?" the boy whimpered, "Please! I'm not the one in charge! I can tell you where he is though!" Saiko had tears in his eyes. Yusuke raised an eyebrow, and leaned in close to the boy, "Who?"

"Will you let me live if I tell you?" tears stained the boy's face, as did fear. _I don't wanna die...!_

"It depends," Yusuke grabbed his hair, "Tell me!"

"Agh! He's... He's a mile or so away to the east! I dunno his name! I swear! He makes us all call him "Ensho-sama"! I SWEAR!"

Yusuke laughed, "Thanks kid."

"You're... not gonna kill me?"

"Nah...," he said as his hair and eyes returned to normal, "Sadly, I have more human in me than I'd ever like to admit..."

"...H-huh..."

Yusuke strode away, first in search of the others, then this "Ensho-sama".

"Shimatta...," Kurama clenched his teeth as his wound reopened. He had managed to get up out of his spot, but carrying Hiei was turning out to be quite the chore... And Hiei wasn't all that heavy, making it even more embarrasing. He gasped for air, as pain filled him, giving him a headache. He sighed loudly, and sat against a rock wall, resting Hiei on the grass next to him. He put a careful palm over his injury, and used what was left of his energy to reclose his wound. Once done, he sighed once more in both relief and sadness.

The shirt he bought yesterday. It was once white. Now it was bloody with dirt spots all over it. Now he understood why Hiei always chose to wear black.

He pressed his back flat against the wall behind him. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore his pain. He stayed that way for a long while, until he came to realize he heard water running nearby. He opens his eyes and looks around. Seeing nothing, he decides to get up and search for the source of the noise. He really wanted to wash off the blood on his arms and face...

After walking around for a minute or so, he came across a river. He realized it was the same one he was at earlier, but more upstream, "How far did I walk?" he stepped toward it, and saw that it was in fact the start of the river, because a waterfall was at it's end. Kurama remembered somthing that might help him. He now walked toward the waterfall.

* * *

"Uhnn...," Hiei blinked his eyes open, only to see he didn't know where he was. He sat up, and saw he was in a cave, and over the opening to that cave was water, rushing downwards over the entrance. The fox was sitting in front of this, using the water to wash dried blood out of his hair. Kurama turned when he heard Hiei wake up, "All nice and rested?"

"Hn. Why're we here?" Hiei looked around.

"We were wide open to attack where we were. So I took you over my shoulder and found this place," the reflection of the water gave Kurama (wet from washing his hair) a slight blue glow.

"Hn. That's stupid. You could've passed out long before this," Hiei turned his attention to one of the walls, not willing to see what look Kurama had on his face.

A pause filled the small cave until Kurama decided to finish what he was doing, "It's a good thing I remembered caves form behind waterfalls sometimes. This way no one will see us until we leave."

"Baka," Hiei snorted, "What if there wasn't a cave? What then?"

"I would have found somewhere else," Kurama stated. Hiei didn't reply, "...Thank you..."

"For what?"

The fox just smiled and shook his head. He knew Hiei would choose to ignore the fact he had given the last of his energy to him. A few minutes go by in silence until Kurama was done, and he walked over to Hiei and sat next to him. Hiei looked at him, and blinked at the sight. Kurama was still wet, and beads of water clung to his bangs and eyelashes, "Something wrong?" Kurama said after Hiei stared at him for a while. The hiyoukai blushed slightly and turned his attention back to the wall, "Why're you stll wet?"

"I don't have anything to dry myself off with."

"You're a fox, right? Don't dogs usually shake themselves dry?" Hiei smirked as he looked back to Kurama.

"Are you joking? I 'd never do something as degrading as that," Hiei laughed at this. They stared at eachother for a while, bathed in the bluish light given off by the water. Hiei then turned to look at the entrance, "You remember this morning?"

Kurama blinked as he tried to. Ah, yes, the naked thing... So much had happened he'd forgotten all about it, "Yes, what about?" even now, he blushed about what had happened.

Hiei didn't speak for a long time, but Kurama knew he was going to eventually. He sat back and stared at the same water Hiei was, "...I'm... sorry...," Kurama sat up straight once more and stared disbelievingly at the man next to him.

"E-excuse me?" _Did he just... apologize? Hiei apologize? For what?_

"What're you, deaf?" Hiei said, not looking at the fox, "I said I was sorry."

"For... for what?"

Hiei closed his eyes for a long moment, then said, "This morning... I was... a pissant. I mean, I know I _am_ a pissant, but what I said this morning was uncalled for. So, I'm sorry."

Kurama continued to stare at the smaller one for a long time, "Hiei..."

"I was just... amused, I guess at what might have happened last night," Kurama smiled unwittingly, and found himself leaning on Hiei's shoulder, surprising them both, "Kurama, what...?"

"You haven't changed after all," Kurama whispered from the curve of Hiei's neck.

"What?" the fox shook his head, telling Hiei it wasn't important.

"I'm tired. I didn't get to sleep for three hours like you did. I'm so tired, I'll sleep on the first thing I fall on. And for now, that's you," Kurama explained, as he shifted to rest more comfortably on Hiei shoulder.

"Hn," Hiei put an arm aroung the fox's shoulders to he wouldn't fall when he finally went to sleep. It was only then he realized Kurama was still wet.

TADAEND

Woot, another chapter!

Shorter than last, but whatever!


	10. Bloodlust

WOOT! My first two-digit chapter!

Chapter Ten...Bloodlust

Hiei lay Kurama's body down on the stone floor of the cave after his arm had long since fallen asleep. It was dark now. The dolls' master must be out their, either searching for his puppets, or looking for the team, assuming they've been weakened. Hiei came up to the waterfall, and put his arm through it to split the water so he could see outside. It was only then he realized how high up they were. _Kurama climbed all that way with his stomach hanging out of him?_

Hiei looked behind him at the sleeping fox. His clothes were blood-stained red, almost completly. Hiei sighed and looked back outside, the water starting to numb his arm. He quickly pulled it back inside, not because of the coldness, but because he'd seen a light nearby, most likely an enemy who sensed youki nearby. _Wait... youki?_ Hiei was repressing his youki signature for just that purpose, but Kurama's was sensible, and not only that, getting for pronounced.

The hiyoukai looked back at the fox once more, surprised. He hadn't noticed Kurama's power level going up. But then he realized it was probably due to the enegry he had exchanged for his earlier that day...

In his sleep, Kurama felt a weight crawl on top of him. His first thought that maybe it was a youkai Hiei had accidently let through, but that thought was quickly replaced with something else, "Get off me, Hiei."

"Oh, you're awake?"

The fox opened his eyes to see, indeed, the smaller demon was laying on top of him. It was dark, meaning he'd been alseep for a while. But that didn't really matter as Kurama's emerald eyes stared into amused crimson ones just above them. They were close, too close, "_Yes_, I'm awake. Why're you on me?"

"...You were being awfully loud," was his only answer. Hiei's expression had gone serious. Kurama was confused, "Care to elaborate that?" Hiei readjusted himself so his weight was on his elbows, "We almost were caught up here because your youryoku was starting to flare."

"What?"

Hiei sighed annoyedly. He closed his eyes for a bit, then sat up on Kurama's stomach. The fox wanted to sit up as well, but the current position didn't allow it, "When I first saw you again in that jail cell, you easily could have been put in a headlock by a baby."

_A rude way of saying I'm weak, but it's, sadly, probably true_, "And?"

"Well...," Hiei said thoughtfully, then leaned in close to the fox's face, "You seem to be getting closer to what your level was before you got shot. And it almost caused us to be found. I find that ironic."

Kurama's eyes slanted, "Yes, but... do you find our current position neccessary?" Hiei moved even closer, so that they could feel the other's breath on their face, and their lips just beyond reach, "Do you?" the hiyoukai answered. Kurama pressed his palms against Hiei's firm chest to push the demon off. The fox then walked over to the entrance of the cave, and the to stayed in silence for several minutes.

"What's so funny?" Hiei asked from the floor, as the fox started to laugh quietly. Kurama looked down at him, his eyes laughing, "Oh, nothing," he smirked, "Just you seem to be for up front than I remember," he walks over to Hiei, who stares up at him, "Do you remember yourself? I was always the aggressor," Hiei grimaced at his, "Come to think of it, you used to be about this height to me, didn't you?"

Hiei quickly stood up, at looked at the fox with an odd expression, "Why do you bring this up now?"

"You're the one who started bringing up strange subjects," Kurama answered. He wasn't sure what Hiei's face was trying to convey. He'd never been sensitive about his height before, why would that be different now? Or maybe...

"Shut it," Hiei said, his voice laced with venom, making the shortest hairs on Kurama nape stand up straight, "We should leave now," he said in his normal tone. Kurama looked back at him with the corner of his eye. Something wasn't right..., "Alright..."

It annerved Kurama how... stiffly... Hiei walked over to the water. Had he really said something wrong? It's been five years, maybe Hiei has changed as much as Kurama has, "Five years..."

"What?" Hiei asked annoyedly as the fox whispered to himself. Kurama looked at Hiei, with a sad look in his eye, "Five years... of wasted time... I'm such an idiot," Kurama explained.

Hiei remained quiet for a moment, then, "Yes, you are," he said in a finishing tone. Kurama just stared at his back, taking the comment in. He looked back to the end of the cave, lost in thought. He only looks back to Hiei when he feels an odd pressure on his scalp. The hiyoukai had a lock of the fox's hair in his painful grasp, "Hiei, what?"

"You don't even remember why you left, do you, fox?" Hiei's eyes narrowed, and the grip on Kurama's hair got tighter. Kurama was confused. Of course he knew why he left... right? As he came to think of it, details of that days were hazy, but he had always blamed that on the alchohal he had later injested. But... Was Hiei suggesting something else?

"Because if you did," Hiei continued, "You would have ran the moment you saw a chance to escape in that jail," his voice was dangerously low, so low that Kurama had to strain to hear him even though their voices echoed slightly in the cave.

"I guess I don't remember," Kurama said back, "You can remind me, if you think it important," Hiei's face was dark. They stood there, Kurama was still in pain, but chose not to say anything. And with every second, the fox became more anxious... and scared.

Finally, Hiei breathed in deeply. He pulled at Kurama's hair, so hard that Kurama cried out, and he was thrown to the floor, "You are truly idiotic. You didn't want to face the truth, so you blocked it out of your mind, making up another story," the hiyoukai stepped toward the fallen Kurama, who stared up at him from the floor in disbelief. The fox suddenly became self-conscious and stood up defiently. He was a meer inch from the water.

"Hiei...," he tried to say.

"Don't call me that," Hiei growled, "You need to get away from me, now."

"I don't... understand."

Hiei's hands flew out, as he pushes against Kurama, making the fox loose his balance. Kurama falls through the falling water, which hurt like rocks pelting him. Hiei couldn't see what happened next, but it was obvious...

* * *

Kuwabara lay on the grass, completly wiped out. The youkai dolls had completly drained him of reiki. They were aparently told to kill him as well, seeing as he was a human. He smiled slightly. At least Yukina should be safe. She's a youkai; different from most, but one all the same.

"Sleeping on the job, already? Tsk, and you call yourself a man...," Kuwabara sat straight up, prepared for battle, "Geez, skiddish much?" the human stared stupidly at Yusuke's laughing, but tired face.

"U...URAMESHI!" Kuwabara stood up, looking down at his friend, "How dare you startle me, and act all familiar!"

"Startle? Scared, is more like it," the hanyou smirked as the ningen fumed, "But seriously man. I have something to ask you."

"What is it?"

"You know Kurama's ki signature, right?"

"Uhm, sorta, yeah. Why?"

"Have you noticed... It faltering lately?"

"Faltering?"

"Yeah... Like... He has reiki... but lately..."

"Youki? Yeah, I noticed that, but I always thought it was because he was sorta youkai and sorta ningen..."

"BAKA! That's only possible for hanyou, dumbass!"

"Well, sor-ry if I don't know this crap, Urameshi!"

"God, you're useless!" they stared at eachother in a stale mate for a long moment, until Kuwabara broke the silence, "Hey... Urameshi?"

"Hm?"

"You haven't seen Yukina at all, have you? 'Cuz I haven't been able to sense her at all lately."

"Maybe it's 'cuz you're so tired and helpless..."

"Shut it! Have you?"

"Nope."

* * *

The sun showed it's first signs if rising, in a light blue outline of the far away mountains. Hiei walked slowly through the forest some time later. He had been overcome with an immense pain in his side after he had pushed Kurama off of the cliff. He didn't bother seeing if Kurama was alright, he thought it would be pointless.

"You are rather rash, aren't you?"

Hiei stopped and breathed in, then faced Mukuro, whom had been following him for some time now, "Elaborate."

Mukuro sighes, "I mean... What you did... to Kurama... It was quite uncalled for, you do realize..."

"I know!... It's just... I..."

"Acted before thinking?" Mukuro finished. Hiei gritted his teeth and turned away. Mukuro looked up, in a somber way. She knew all about Hiei and Kurama's story, thanks to the fact Hiei needed to vent his frustrations by the time she had come along, "My word, you act like such a man...," Hiei looked at her with a definate glare, "In case you hadn't noticed, I _am_ a man."

"Really? Because doing that to Kurama was quite a way of chickening out."

"Would you make up your mind!"

"It's not my fault men are too simple to figure out womans' thought," she was trying to piss the hiyoukai off on purpose. He was bottling up his feelings right now, and it was better for him to express his anger in spurts, rather than one sudden explosion. And maybe he'll learn to do that all the time so he could be happy again with his fox at his side.

"I know what you're doing. Stop it. I want to explode. It's all that I can do right now..."

"Thinking with raw ambition again...," Hiei growled at this, and stomped away. _You poor, poor soul..._ They walked on, in search of Yusuke or any of the others. It was a surprise who they met up with first.

"Hiei-san?"

The hiyoukai stopped at stared at Yukina, who stood before both of them, looking relieved and recovering from intense fear, "Ah, hello, Yukina-chan," Mukuro waved slightly as she walked passed the frozen Hiei and went to talk with the koorime.

"I'm so glad I found someone," Yukina said, her voiced strained, "I was beginning to worry..."

"Don't worry. As long as we're all in one piece, we're fine. Right, Hiei?" they turned to look at the man, who blinked surprisedly, "Don't go staring off into your own little world now, chibi-san."

"Kisama, you're worse than...," he stopped suddenly when he realized saying "the idiot" would affect Yukina some, "Nevermind," the koorime kept looking Hiei out of the corner of her eye as they walked on some minutes later. He seemed so familiar, it was driving her insane.

Suddenly, the trees around them rustled furiously, as if they three were stepping on their feet, "What's happening?" Yukina asked. As she asked, a lone vine wrapped itself around Hiei's waist, and he was tugged toward the rustling trees. He pulled his sword out and cut it clean through. The vine recoiled, as if in pain, and he could have sworn the trees hissed at him. Mukuro swiveled her head around, "Yukina MOVE!" she grabbed the koorime and pulled her down. Yukina felt the air whistle as something flew fast passed her face. It flew straight toward Hiei; it was too fast. He couldn't defend. Whatever it was, he was shot with it in his forehead. It went through his headband, which soon went from purly white, to crimson, due to his now bleeding jagan.

"HIEI-SAN!"

Even in the morning darkness, Hiei could see flashing lights before him, the blurred images of people nearby, his blood flying out in front of him. He was deaf to the cries made for him, but kept hearing a persistant humming, as though someone were laughing at him. He couldn't smell anything; not the trees, not Yukina's distinct sent. He realized quietly to himself, he was cold, for the first time in years. And his thinking stopped, and everything went to black, and all noise, all sight, halted.

* * *

A few hours before...

He was in shock for a few seconds, due to both what Hiei had just done, and the freezing water, but he quickly came to his senses. Kurama swam to the surface of the water, gasping for air, his wet hair flying about, sending flicks of water everywhere. He got out of the water with a little difficulty; his clothes were soaked. He starred at the ground under him and his hands which were out to support his weight under him, gaining his bairings.

_"You don't remember why you left, do you fox?"_

_"You need to get away from me, now."_

The fox's fists clenched, he could feel the now-wet dirt clinging to his clean skin. He hated mysteries that he didn't choose to start learning about! Not youko did! He looked up at the water fall, and sensed Hiei had already left. He grimaced and stood up. And when he did he noticed the ground seemed to be farther away than usual...

Kurama looked at his hands, and was quite surprised at what he saw. Where there was no dirt, his skin was paler than it was a few sconds ago, almost white. He looked down at his clothes. His clothes were white still, but a different style, and the blood stains were only over where the injuries were, and not smeared around, "...Inari...," he rushed back to the water to see he reflection, and he was surprised at what he saw then, too.

Instead of the easily tangled red hair he had become accostomed to, their were his old, completly straight, silver fox hair. His skin was the same color as his hands, almost white. And his eyes... They were smaller, more narrow, less innocent, and golden. No where near his his old large emerald ones.

_"We almost were caught up here 'cuz your youryoku was starting to flare."_

Was this... the result... of what Hiei had said...?

The youko smirked evily. His power was indeed back. Now he could do things the way he used to. Not have to be a weak human, but the strong, intelligent, cold, seductive youko he was before.

He walked in search of the others, but mostly for one in perticular...

* * *

The women had managed to get Hiei's bandanna/kekkai off of his bleeding forehead. But his pain seemed to increase, forcing them to work faster than normal. Even unconcious, he reacted to pain as though awake.

His face was almost completly streaked with blood, making his skin stand out more precisly. He was odd, indeed. He was pale, but not. He was lighter than most humans, but no where near what Kurama used to be...

"No, Hiei-san...," Yukina whispered as the hiyoukai on the ground next to her coughed up another round of blood, staining his chin and neck even more, if possible. He rithed in his unconcious state, but didn't seem to have the ability to make a sound.

The figure controlling the plants laughed to himself quietly, "They better hurry up, or else that plant jammed in his head will bloom, spliting his pretty skull to pieces..."

MUHAHACLIFFYAGAIN

GASP! Who is the man behind the plants? Kurama? Or maybe someone else?

Reviews will determine how fast you'll find out!


	11. Kitsune

Highlow, peeplez!

Pillow backwards is wollip! Ha! ...Lip...

Chapter Eleven...Kitsune

He heard voices. He didn't know where they were coming from, but they seemed so far away. And so familiar. He slowly realized they were trying to tell him to wake up, but isn't he already? His eyes sting, there's something sticky covering his face, and he had an enormous headache. How could one sleep like this?

Something moved in his head; he wanted to scream, but something else was stopping him.

He saw things flashing by faster than he could even run. Colors, and places and... memories... and... people... They struck him the most. Such an array, they were. Sad, happy, angry, apathetic, beautiful, grotesque...

The trees rustled, as though disturbed. Kuwabara suddenly stops moving, causing Yusuke to hit him over the head, "Baka! Why' you stop!... Kuwabara?" he asked after seeing his partner look so lost, "Hey, man, what's going on?"

"Yukina-san..."

"What? What about her?"

"She's... scared... I can feel it...," he is quiet for a long time, then charges off in a seemingly random direction. Yusuke reluctantly follows.

_"Kazuma-saaaan!"_

"He'll be fine, right Mukuro?" Yukina sked. Her voice had become more and more desperate and anxious. Mukuro didn't answer right away; she didn't know _what_ to say. Hiei had lost so much blood, too much. Most woukd be dead by now, but Hiei..., "Mukuro? What's that?"

Mukuro mentally slapped herself for not seeing what Yukina was talking about before. There was an odd ki radiating from Hiei's forehead, "A plant... A carnivorous plant... It's going to bloom soon...," Mukuro said. Yukina took in breath.

"...Plant, Mukuro? But doesn't...?"

Mukuro paused more a moment, then faced the trees, which were still angry and agitated, "Who's there? Who's the man who hit Hiei with this seed?" the trees suddenly stopped moving, as though a hurricane had come and passed. Silence covered all...

"Who?" echoed a voice from nearby. Mukuro stood up, motioning for Yukina to stay down.

"Who are you?"

"Who am I, she asks," the voice echoes again. The woman starts to get angry noticably.

"Don't mess with me..."

"Not messing, am I. No, madam. Certainly not," the voice was laughing. Mukuro hissed, and charged at the voice, slicing a bush clean away. Something fly up, and falls back down, half-way between Yukina and where Mukuro now stood. It made a small chinking noise as it made contact with the ground, and shattered.

"Another doll, but a different kind. The man who was here before left when the trees stopped moving...," Mukuro declares. Yukina nods in acknowledgment, but here eyes go wide when they both hear Hiei make a pained noise. Yukina looks back down to him, and is horrified.

Hiei's eyes are open, somehow, but blank. The crimson was not layered in different shade as it always was, but rather a plain, single color. Blood of the same color started to come out of his lips once more, and his body started shaking violently, "No... Hiei-san..."

"YUKINA-SAAAAAAN!"

Mukuro looks up to see "that orange-haired human" and the hanyou running towards them. Yukina seemed not to have heard the ningen's cry. She was fixated on Hiei's face.

"Mukuro, what's go-?" Yusuke started, but seeing Yukina, he stopped. Kuwabara rushed to her, "Yukina-san! Yukina! Say something! Anything! Come on!" Kuwabara turned her face towards his, but her eyes were blank like Hiei's, "Yu...kina...?"

"Mukuro! What's happening!" Yusuke finally asks. Mukuro just shakes her head, "Mukuro!"

Kurama sensed it. He could feel it shivering through the trees. Something was wrong, horribly wrong, "What the hell's going on? Why can't I find anyone?" he growled to himself. Even with his powers restored, he couldn't sense a thing. Just this... unsettling... feeling...

His eyes twitched as he heard something behind him. He whipped around, and almost fell over. There was nothing, but... For a second... he could have sworn he saw... blood. And a battered Hiei to go along with it, "...Hiei...," the unsettled feeling got worse.

_"...fox..."_

It was just a whisper, but it left a terrible ringing in his inner ear. Kurama looks around desperatly, trying to find where it came from.

_"Fox..."_

This time it was louder. Kurama fell to him knees, covering his ears. That voice was going to split his head open! Split... his head... open...

_"It hurts!"_

The fox's golden eyes opened, in both pain and realization. The image he had seen just now. The battered and bloody Hiei. The blood was coming from his forehead, from his jagan...! There was something... in it...

"...No...," he whispers to himself. He slowly lifts his hands away from his ears, and stands up at the same pace, "If the jagan... If it's destroyed... Hiei's going to...," he walks backward a few steps, listening to the grass, asking it where to go, then changes into his fox form; his weakest, but fastest form. (It was a unique form because even though it was weak, he could only change into it from his youko form) He takes off running in the directions the wildlife told him, "Hiei will... die...!"

As he ran, he remembered a similar image... When Hiei had first gotten the jagan. The slumped body on it's knees, shivering hands covering it's forehead in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding, the wide and horrified and painful eyes staring straight back at him...

Sure, many youkai had reasons to get one, but the way to get it was far to painful. Most die during the implanting itself. There was only one known surgeon who knew who to do it, because of it's unpopularness. His name was Shigure, a man who mastered the boomarang-sword and had a well-known fettish for peircings. Hiei had met this man, fought him, and lost. The price of losing a battle to Shigure was getting a jagan. And you didn't schedule an appointment, or anthing like that; that left too much of a chance for the loser to run before then. No, Shigure did it right then and there, he had all of the equipment with him all the time since youkai like to fight his so much. He guessed they just like the threat that loomed over their battle.

Hiei's situation wasn't like that. Shigure had taught Hiei what he knows of swordsmanship. Neither Yusuke or Kurama could figure out who those two met, but that didn't really matter. Shigure had challenged Hiei to a match after the training was complete, and was very dissappointed to win. No one ever saw him after that.

He left right after he "preformed" on Hiei. Kurama had witnessed the whole thing. It caused him nightmares still to this day. The surgery itself wasn't the worst part, either. It was the aftermath.

The slumped body on it's knees, shivering hands covering it's forehead in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding, the wide and horrified and painful eyes staring straight back at him...

_"It hurts!"_

I know, Hiei! Kurama vowed to himself as he ran on to make sure Hiei feels no more pain... ever! No matter what Hiei did to him, no youkai or ningen diserves that pain twice!

* * *

Kuwabara was shaking as Yukina seemed to feel a minescule portion of Hiei's pain. She, too, was in a frozen state. But why? WHY? Yukina had no special ties to Hiei! Unless... he was doing this to her on purpose!

"Mukuro!" he heard Yusuke's voice far away. He was too focused on his beloved to really hear anything.

"What?"

"Is this because of their relationship?" Rela...tionship? What relationship?

"Yes, I suppose... Twins sometimes react to eachother in this manner...," T...twins...? What...?

"They're...," Kuwabara started. Yusuke hit himself for brining it up, "Twins...? Hiei is... Yukina's brother?"

"Yes," Mukuro answered simply. Soon after she told the boys to bring the other two out of the forest. Kuwabara was still in shock, but he _somehow_ managed to be able to carry Yukina.

"Why'd we come out _here_, specifically, Mukuro?" the hanyou asked after setting Hiei down. Mukuro smirked and looked to the side. Both Yusuke and Kuwabara look to see a silver fox running towards them.

"K-KURAMA!" Yusuke yelles, astounded. The fox makes it to them, and drops something near the hanyou's feet, "Plants...?"

"Medicine," Mukuro answered. Yusuke picked up the leaves and went to work right away. (He had learned about medicinal plants from Kurama)

* * *

It was quite funny, what Yusuke was witnessing. He had to control his laughter, as not to awake the sleeping people (?) on the bed. After they had managed to stop Hiei's bleeding and bandaged the jagan, Yukina had come back to her senses (and hasn't stopped apologizing yet), and Kurama passed out from exhaustion in his fox form, they group carried the hiyoukai and the kitsune back to the complex. The youkai dolls seemed to have stopped attacking... for now. And they were taking advantage of the quiet for the time being.

The thing Yusuke was laughing at was Hiei and Kurama. Kurama was still in fox-from, and still sleeping, and Hiei was still unconcious. Hiei had bandages around his forehead. He also had an arm around the sleeping lump of fur next to him, were as Kurama was resting his head on the hiyoukai's chest.

"Kukuku...," Yusuke laughed, "It's just so kawaii..."

NOTACLIFFY

Woot!

Yup, uh-huh.

...yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaah...

Reviews, pwease!


	12. Dreaming Of You

THE STORY HAS **_NOT_** BEEN CANCELLED! (note: the word "not" has been underlined, bolded, and italised, meaning it has GREAT significance)

Ah, you're here. I'd thought I'd loose you after that pause between chapters.

Reasons for lateness:

1) School work. (meh)

2) School parties (pool party)

3) Sort-of brother's highschool graduation. (teh hells ya!)

4) The fact I've re-written this chapter thousands of times, making it just right... (so picky am I...)

T3h 3nd!

And now, to the chapter!

Chapter Twelve...Dreaming Of You

"It was horrible! It was terrible! I could've died! I don't wanna do this anymore, mama!"

The youkai child that Yusuke had fought, Saiko, was crying into a much taller female's stomach. No, bauling is more accurate. She patted his head, shushing him, and comforting him, "It's all right, you survived, and that's all that matters now. It's no good to dwell in the past, ne?"

Saiko sniffed, and met the taller's eyes, which were the same blue as his, "Hai, kaa-san..."

"Good."

"...But it was sooo awful, mama! His eyes were all cat-like, and his hair looked like he'd stuck his finger in a light socket...! His tatoos were cool, but it was aaaawfuuul!" Saiko continued.

"GAH! Will you _shut_ that freaking kid up!" another youkai demanded from the other side of the room. He had deep, black eyes, ans short, reddish brown hair (like the color of re-fried beans, I guess...) He had on a dark brown vest over a bare chest, and black pants, "I mean, I _know_ he's your son and all, but _come on_! Besides, Ensho-sama will have another fit if he hears of that failure against the hanyou...!"

"I realized that, Kugou," Saiko's mother started, "But you have to understand--"

"Oh, I _understand_, all right. I understand that he'll shut up when I shove a chair up his ass!" Kugou shouted, and took a threatening step forward, making Saiko whimper and hug his mother more tightly.

"_Enough_!" growled a new voice. The three turn to the door way, and see a tall youkai with long, dark blue hair, a male. He was flanked on his left by a shorter female with many brown braids, makingher look very much like Medusa.

"E-Ensho-sama! What a, er, pleasant surprise?" Kugou stammered.

"Quite, underling," the braided youkai hissed.

"Underling?" Kugou whimpered.

"Saa...," Ensho started, closing his eyes. The left was yellow, the right was the same blue as his hair, "I realize you idiots have failed again. I told you to just, _and only just_, use the dolls to weaken them. But, no. The brat has to go and waste a good gaurd and fight the hanyou himself. Insolence," he hisses the last word while opening his eyes.

"I take responsiblilty for my son's actions," Saiko's mother starts, "So, please, let me do anything to make up for this."

"Are you insane!" Kugou yells.

"Actually," Ensho intrudes, "I'd like you, and only you, Ue, to help Sren on my new plans of attack."

"I don't need help, sire," the Medusa-haired woman states.

"Are you questioning me?"

"Eh, n-no..!"

"Then, Ue, Sren, come with me. I'm sure Kugou can handle taking care of Saiko," Ensho turns, and Sren follows reluctantly. Ue les go of her son slowly, and walks away. Saiko frowns. Kugou wallows in his misfortune.

"Mama..."

* * *

"I hope Kazuma-san comes back soon," Yukina states. She is outside along with Yusuke, "The electrical storm seems too close now..."

"Don't worry," Yusuke sighs while scratching his shaggy head, "I'm sure Kuwabara isn't so stupid that he'll walk out in the middle of a storm that could very well kill him... I hope..."

"And... why did he leave, again?"

"Check up with my mom and Keiko, I guess...," he pauses, "So, how was Hiei last you saw him?"

"He's not awake, but he should be fine. Kurama-san was awake, though..."

"Really, now?"

Inside, mentioned fox was strolling about, trying to figure out what had happened a few days before. He was in his red-haired human form, and very weak, "It doesn't make sense...," he mutters to himself. _Why should my powers have shot up so drastically then? And why is it taking so long for them to return now?_

"A true puzzle, ne?"

Kurama turns, surprised, and sees Mukuro stading there, smiling pleasantly. She was an enigma..., "Aa...," he answers after a pause. Mukuro steps closer and looks at the fox seriously.

"You have no idea as to what could have caused it?" she asks upruptly.

"No," Kurama answers plainly, and tiredly. The woman sighs, and steps past him, "Really?" she asks, seeming more to herself than the fox, "And how is Hiei?"

"I don't know why everyone asks _me_, I could care less about the little bastard" Kurama_ almost_ says, but thinks better of it, "Asleep. Why?"

"Just wondering. He's very valuable to me, you see," she answers. She was really "fishing" as some call it. She wanted to see what were this fox's buttons, then push them as hard a possible.

"...Really?" Kurama asked, trying to keep his voice level. Mukuro laughs, "Oh, yes. He's the one who freed me from my shackles, after all... It makes me quite jealous how you were the last one to sleep with him..."

Kurama stares at her disbelievingly, but then frowns at the smirk on her face, "You're screwing with me, aren't you?" he asks in a monotone. Mukuro laughs once more, and puts a hand on the fox's shoulder, "Just my way of properly meeting a new acuiantence, you see," she pulls the hand away, then walks outside with one last smirk. Kurama sighs when she is out of sight, and slumps against the wall.

"Ch', women," snorts a familiar voice from down the hall. Kurama flinches and stands up straight, looking to see Hiei was the one who said it.

"You're awake... finally," Kurama asks, his voice more tired than before. He stares at Hiei, noting the healing bandages around the Jagan. Other than that, the hiyoukai seemed fine. Lucky him.

"Tired?" Hiei asks teasingly. Kurama glares, "No, I've just been thinking about the other day...," he notices how the air around Hiei seeemed to compress at that. He focuses on him once more, noting how stiff he was standing, and the serious look, "Hiei?"

"What?" Hiei says darkly, and walks up to the fox, staring up at him, "Have you no resentment?"

"For what?" Kurama asks, confused. Hiei sighs loudly, "About the _other _day, baka. What I... What I did to you. You forget already?"

"Of course not. I just don't care," Kurama answers firmly, "You acted on what you thought was best, and you almost died soon after. But then I saved you. Ironic, isn't it?" the fox smiles.

"You're insane," Hiei walks past the fox, with the intentions to go outside. He looks momentarily at the redhead, then leaves.

"You ready, bitch!" Yusuke shouts. He is in fighting stance, across the field from Hiei, who looks at him with a classic "you're an idiot, you know that?" look. Yusuke chuckles then takes off, and they two battle it out.

"They're going to kill eachother one day," Mukuro says quietly. Yukina watches with a conscerned look on her face. Kurama rests against a tree, paying no attention what so ever.

* * *

"Ah, Keiko-chan! I'm back with news!" Kuwabara prances into the restaurant Keiko's father owned. The brunette looks up at him lazily from the counter seat. She sighes and stands up, "Really? Let me guess. He has fought with demons wanting to kill him due to the new law passed, right?"

"Eh, uh... right," Kuwabara blinks. Several people stare at the obnoxtious man who had interrupted them, "Keiko-chan... Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not," Keiko says sarcasticly, "My so-called boyfriend is being hunted down illegally by demons because my own race passed a law stating no hanyou's are to be born after this year. I'm _just peachy_, Kuwabara!" she stomps away, most prbably to her room upstares. Kuwabara stares depressedly after her.

"Keiko-chan...," he sighes, then sets off to Atsuko's house to tell her of her son, and then to his own house to feed his cat, Eikichi, and get a good eating from his sister, Shizuru, for "letting" demons attack him.

* * *

Back in the Makai, the lighting storm had indeed started. There were already burn marks in the soil out side to prove it. Yusuke and Hiei's bought had to be cancelled due to this, and everyone was now settled inside.

Kurama sat on his bed, listening to the rumbling sounds from outside. His room had no window, or rather, it was covered up by all of his plants. He reached up after a rather loud booming passed, and stroked the central stem of his largest plant, to comfort it. It recoiled as another thunderous boom shook the room. Kurama pauses, then rests back, intending to at least _try_ to sleep. Of course, that seemed most impossible for him, due to his sensitive hearing. He closes his eyes, and exhales slowly from his nose.

Not much happens for a few minutes, until the fox feels a quiet displacement of air next to his left ear. Kurama peeks his eyes open and sees there is a hand resting in that spot. He looks up and is surprised to see Hiei smirking evilly above him, "What're you...?"

Hiei leans down and captures the fox's lips firmly, and Kurama notices for the first time that Hiei was completly on top of him. Hiei takes advantage of the slighlty parted lips, and delves his tongue into Kurama's mouth, making the kiss deeper. Kurama closes his eyes, trying to think, trying to figure out what the hell was going on, but all attempt at though was futile. He felt Hiei's calloused hand push up his shirt, and the hiyoukai was now groping every inch of bare skin. His stomach muscles tightened at the sensation, and he gave up on thinking.

Hiei let go of Kurama lips, and the fox made a quiet noise of dissapointment at this, but soon he makes a much more pleased noise as he felt Hiei's lips now on his neck. Kurama thought lamely about how human skin was much more sensitive than a youkai's...

The hiyoukai's fingers ran under the shirt, moving upward, until they found a nipple. Kurama gasps, and Hiei bites softly into the curve of the fox's neck, making the redhead turn his head, exposing his neck entirly. Hiei pushes Kurama's shirt up and moves his mouth downwards. Suddenly, Kurama comes back to earth, "H-hey, s-stop it...!" he hears Hiei laugh quietly as he starts to lick even more sensitive skin.

"Why? It's nothing we haven't done before...," Hiei teases. Kurama jumps slightly as he feels that torturous hand start to tug at his pants.

"Stop... it," Kurama tries, but coherent thought is lost once more...

Kurama snaps his eyes open, only to see a vine covered wall. He sits up, and sees he is the only one in the room, "It... was... a dream?" he asks himself, slightly annoyed, but not sure why he was so. He practically jumps out of his skin as another bolt hits the ground nearby, shaking the room. Kurama concludes that lightning gives him odd dreams... yes, that's it...

"Nightmare, fox?"

Kurama jumps up this time, and turns to his door, noticing Hiei, who had been there the whole time, but it was now dark, so he practically was camouflaged. Kurama stares, then he feels blood rushing to his cheeks, and he knew he was blushing. It was natural, considering he was looking at the youkai he had just had an erotic dream about...

"Get out of my room. Why're you in here?" he asks, turning to where the window should have been, so as to delude Hiei from looking at him.

"Because I can't go out side. I don't have a room, remember?" Hiei answers plainly. Kurama sighs, and slumps back onto his bed.

"...What time is it?"

"Why? You got a date?" Hiei asks slyly, making Kurama wonder just how he had been acting during his sleep. He blushes again, "How long have you been in here...?" he asks after an uncomfortable pause.

"Awhile. You know, you kept saying "stop it" in your sleep. Which is why I've come to the conclusion that you were either having a nightmare, or you were being raped in your dream...," Hiei smirks, showing his fangs when the fox blushes noticibly in the dark after that statement, "Oh? So it _was_ the latter? Who was raping you, then?"

"Wouldn't you like to know...," Kurama mumbles to himself, making Hiei more curious. Kurama snaps up, and stands up. He walks over to the shorter youkai, "Now, _please_ leave me alone," he demands.

"Not until you tell me," Hiei smiled evilly.

"Why do you _care_?" Kurama huffed.

"Does it look like I have much else to do?"

"Just... get out...!"

"No."

"You're such an irritating little pissant, you know that?"

"Oooh, you're getting angry. I'm so scared."

"Son of a bitch, get out!"

"I don't _feel_ like it..."

"You want to feel my fist in your face!"

"You know you could really make a sexual induendo out of that if you changed a few words."

"I'm going to kill you some day."

HAHAHAENDINGHERE

Finally, some good HieixKuramaness... too bad it was a dream, ne?

Review are the greatest things I can get! ... That, and money, but I doubt you'd give me any.


	13. A Change Of Plans

A hu... A HUNDRED REVEIWS? I am... so... HAPPY! (bawls)

Chapter Thirteen...A Change Of Plans

"Hello, may I help you?" asked one of the workers at the restaurant Keiko's father owned.

"Yeah, is Keiko around?" Kuwabara asked. It was the next day, and he hoped the brunnette was in a better mood now.

"Oh, now I recognize you!" the worker proclaimed, "You're the dingbat who charged in here yesterday! Hahaha! Keiko-san's upstairs in her room, I think. Go ahead and check."

"Uh, thanks," Kuwabara grumbled before walking to the curtain seperating the restaurant from the personal property built into it. He takes a few steps up the stairs that led to Keiko's room upstairs, but stops to look at the pictures hung on either side of the staircase. They were pictures of Keiko when she was younger, her and her parents. But the orange-haired man recognized a younger self in some of the pictures, along with a little boy with short black hair, "Duh, that's Urameshi," he murmured to himself. It had been a long time since he had seen Yusuke with long hair.

"Lost on Memory Lane?" asked a soft voice. Kuwabara blinks, and looks further up the stairs to see Keiko coming out of her room, closing the door behind her.

"Uh, no... Just thinking how it's so weird to see Urameshi in these pictures..."

Keiko walks down the stairs until she was one step above the one Kuwabara was standing on, "Not for me. I only saw Yusuke with all the weird markings once..."

"Oh, yeah... When his father's blood took over...," Kuwabara laughs slightly, "You remember? When he came to school that day, trying to hide his ten-ton hair in a baseball cap."

Keiko laughs quietly at this, "I remember. We took him straight to Genkai's."

"First time you skipped school. Ever... And then what? Oh, yeah. Genkai told Yusuke to live in Makai, because everyone would see he was a half-breed, and then gang upon his mom..."

"So he left."

"Yeah...," Kuwabara didn't know what else to say to the tone of Keiko's voice. He turned around on the stairs to look at the other pictures, "Hey, I remember this!" Keiko turned around to see what her friend was talking about.

Kuwabara pointed to a picture were all three of them were no less then ten-years-old, Yusuke smirking at the giant fish he caught, Kuwabara forced to help hold it up, while Keiko scolded Yusuke for gloating.

"Remember what happened after your dad took the picture?" Kuwabara laughs.

"Yusuke fell in the lake," Keiko smiles, finally happy.

"That's right, "Fell"," Kuwabara says evilly. They stare at the picture for along time, until Kuwabara remembers something, "Oh, yeah! Keiko-chan! Urameshi told me to give you this..."

Keiko stares at her friend while he fumbles around in his pockets for something. Finally he pulls out a necklace on a thin old chain. He hands it to a dumbfounded Keiko, how takes it with cautious hands, "Come on, it won't bite you... Then again, it is made of demon gold. Uh, forget I said that!"

Keiko ignores Kuwabara and is surprised to see the necklace is a locket. She opens it with a soft clicking sound. Inside on one side is a picture of Yusuke when he was a child, and on the other was a picture of Yusuke today, wild hair and all.

"He says you beat him up now, if you want. Whichever him you want to. "Throw me across the room all you want!" he said," Kuwabara finishes.

"...Thank you, Kuwa-chan," Keiko smiles.

"Well, I gotta be goin' now! Stuff's been happening in Makai, and I must help with all of my mighty power! Plus, my Princess Yukina awaits!" Kuwabara prclaims, the charges down the stairs, and out the front door.

* * *

It was early afternoon. Kurama hadn't gotten any sleep after the incident with Hiei last night. Not because he was super angry with the hiyoukai, just he was worried over _what_ he might dream of.

Sighing, he rests against the wall of his room, knees hugged against his chest, forehead rested on his hands. He closes his eyes, listening for any sings of the storm outside, but there were none. It must have stopped. Sighing again, this time much louder, Kurama stands up, and calmly walks out to the hallway. It was only then he realized how quiet it was. Most of the time he could hear Yusuke talking, or anyone talking, for voices echoed inside the building. And it was not only quiet to the ears, it was quiet to the senses, too. He couldn't feel anyone else's presense nearby, anywhere. Not even Hiei.

Brows lightly furrowed, Kurama makes it to the entrance way, opening the doors. The storm was, indeed, over, only a few gray clouds in sight. But no one was outside. The fox was alone.

"Does the foxy-boy not like to be alone?" asks a feminine voice, alien to Kurama's ears. He didn't like the hidden notes in that voice, either. Kurama looks around, not finding anyone, thinking it would be better to stay near the building. And then, painfully sudden, a youki explodes in front of him, and a figure forms there.

Not prepared for the sudden mental explosion, Kurama blinks a few times, a headache forming, "Don't you like me? That makes me very sad...," pouts the others person. Kurama focuses, and takes in the form of the other youkai, taking in every detail for future referance.

It was a woman. The first thing he noticed were the braids she had in her dark hair. They curled around in odd directions, looking much like brown snakes. Her face wasnt pale, in wasn't tan either, and she had a dark marking under her right eye which was brown as well. She wore a red dress, which had strange markings all over it. In fact, everything about this woman was strange.

"Are you the one who sent the youkai dolls after Yusuke?" Kurama asked suddenly.

She laughs, "No, it was my Ensho-sama! I'm here to take you and the half-breed!"

"Why me? I'm no hanyou, not like Yusuke, anyway."

"Oh, we figured that a while back... A demon encased in human flesh. That's even more of an abomination than Hanyou! We only want to put you out of your misery!" she shrieks, and leaps toward the fox. Kurama immidiatly reaches for his hair, pulling out a seed to form his whip. He strikes out at his opponent, who makes a surprised sound. She jumps back, but the whip manages to scrape her leg, "Why're you fighting? You should appreciate this assassination!" she growls.

"I'll appreciate nothing of the sort!" Kurama lashes out again, but the other jumps up, and pulls something of her own out of her hair. It wasn't a seed, no. It was the to chopstick-like things holding up her hair, which, even with out them, still curled about her head. She hold the two sticks inbetween her first to right fingers, a flicks her wrist forward. The fox is surprised to see the opposing weapons stretch out towards him. They go to fast for him to dodge, and one stick flies past either side of his neck, but they were still touching him. Next surprise was the feel of blood trickling down his neck. They were razor-sharp, embedded in his hair, and the woman was still holding the bases in her fingers.

"I think you know what will happend if I twitch my hand even in the slightest," the woman smiles wickedly, "Loose the whip," Kurama complies reluctantly, "Now... tell me were yours little pals are."

"I don't know," Kurama replies truthfully, knowing she wouldn't believe him. The woman frowns, and presses her weapons into the fox's neck lightly, causing the blood to flow more frequently.

"You're lying."

"I'm not," Kurama says, earning more pressure on his neck. He closes his eyes and smiles.

"What's so funny?" the woman was angry now.

"Well...," Kurama starts dreamily, reopening his eyes, "If I'm going to die here, I'd at least like to know the name of my killer before I go. Espescially if it's a beautiful woman like you."

"Don't sweet talk me. Why should I tell you?"

"Why not? It's not like I'm escaping anytime soon," Kurama's smile was oddly blank.

"Fine. I don't care. It's Sren."

"Sren... And what's the name of your friend over there?"

"Ue? I thought I told her--!" but as Sren turns, expecting to see her partner Ue, she sees only trees, and realizes she's been tricked. She turns back around as Kurama grabs her weapons and snaps them.

"Lucky for me, they were only sharp toward the ends. You might want to fix that," Kurama advsises, earning a growl from Sren. She charges at him, but he brings his elbow up to her neck, and pushes foward. This causes her breathing to stop momentarily, and push her to the ground, with Kurama on top of her, now pulling her arms over her head.

"Damn you!" she yells. She kicks and lurches around, but nothing moves her opponent off of her.

"Calm down, or I'll be forced to do something else to you, so don't push me," Kurama stares her down, and she stops, but her body was tense, "Now, who is this Ue you mentioned?"

"Not telling," she was running out of breath because of the weight on her stomach. She merely glared up at the fox.

"You know, you remind me of someone...," Kurama mentions offhandedly, looking up slightly. He lets out a strangled noise as something whisks past him as he dodges, accidently letting his opponent go. He gets up quickly and sees another woman near by, presumably Ue.

"Sren!" she calls, her voice much kinder than her partner's, "We have to go! Ensho--"

"But what about the mission he gave us?" Sren hisses.

"This is more important, now come _on_!" Sren glares at Kurama one last time, then runs off with her partner.

Kurama stares at were the two once stood, until a pang from his neck tells reminds him of his wounds. And reminds him he had no idea where anyone else was. He puts his palms over his cuts, letting the blood drip onto his hands, "Where is everybody."

"Away on their own business."

Kurama turned back to the doorway, and sees Hiei walking toward him, "And where were you?"

"Watching that woman; that is, until you took care of her," Hiei answered plainly.

"You were out here?"

"Hn," Hiei answered. Kurama sighs, "So, where _is_ everybody. Exactly?"

"Yusuke's off to meet the idiot at the dimentional divide, and I believe Yukina's off somewhere with Mukuro."

"Should they really be doing that? I mean, with what just happened..."

"Those two women were after Yusuke and you. I don't think they really feel threatened."

"But she's still your sister," Kurama presses. Hiei looks slightly surprised, "I'd think you'd have at least one shred of protectiveness toward her..."

"Don't question me."

"Oh, that's right," the fox started harshly, "I'd forgotten. Once the subject comes to something you're uncomfortable with, you just kick and hiss until it's changed. Or is it that you really don't care for her?"

"Shut up," Hiei growls.

"Fine," Kurama sighs, "I'm tired of talking to you. And bleeding. I'll be inside," Kurama strides past the hiyoukai and walks inside.

* * *

"What do what us to do now, Ensho-sama?" Sren asks her master, half cautiously, half angrily.

"I've come across some interesting tidbits of information," Ensho answers.

"Really? Like what?" Sren presses. Ue wishes she would be more respectful; did Sren have no idea what Ensho could do to her? Ue did, herself. That's why she was even working for him in the first place.

"Besides the hanyou and that human covered demonic soul, there seems to be a koorime at the site as well."

"A koorime?" Ue speaks up.

"Koorime? What the hell's _that_?" Sren asks.

"It's a female demon. When it cries, it's tears harden into hiruiseki stones, which are very valuable," Ue explains, but then turns to Ensho, "But why? Aren't they supposed to all be on that floating island?"

"Yes... But there definatly is one there. I'd like you to capture that demon, too," Ensho answers calmly.

"Alright... So it's: capture the demoness, kill the hanyou and the abomination, and kill anyone who gets in the way," Sren smiles.

"Why can't Kugou and my son, not that I want him to, join in on this?" Ue asks.

"Hmm," Ensho is thoughtful, "I suppose this is just something... that requires a woman's touch...," he finishes. Ue gets a chill up her spine, not a good one either, "You may leave now."

"Sir!"

* * *

"Oh, Kurama-san! What happened?" Yukina asked when she came back with Mukuro, seeing the bandages around the fox's neck.

"The enemy came, didn't they?" Mukuro asked.

"Yes...," Kurama answered, "It was two women. Sren and Ue."

"You got their names?" Mukuro raised an eyebrow, "How did you manage _that_?"

"I have my ways," Kurama smiled.

"If you call sitting on one of them a "way"," Hiei muttered to himself. Kurama gave him an odd look.

"I can heal your wounds for you," Yukina piped up, "They look painful."

"That'd be nice, thank you."

Little did they know, their enemies were concealing themselves and their energy in the vast forest nearby, "Which girl are we after?" Sren asked.

"I believe it's the shirter one. With the light green hair. Yes... she matches the discribtions of koorime I've heard."

"Good, because the one with orange hair gives me an odd feeling. Should we wait until the hanyou comes back? I heard he was off somewhere..."

"No, we should just get the redheaded one and the koorime now. I heard the hanyou was at the dimentional divide."

"Get him there?"

"Yes..."

Alright then, let's go."

BUMBUMBUUUUM

Ah, I'm so evil.


End file.
